Phyllis’s Orange Shirt is an adaptaion of The Orange Shirt Story which was the best selling children’s book in Canada for several weeks in September 2018(Book manager). This true story also inspired the movement of Orange Shirt Day which could become a federal statuatory holiday. When Phyllis was a little girl she was excited to go to residential school for the first time. Her Granny bought her a bright orange shirt that she loved and she wore it to school for her first day. When she arrived at school her bright orange shirt was taken away. This is both Phyllis Webstad’s true story and the story behind Orange Shirt Day which is a day for us all to reflect upon the treatment of First Nations people and the message that ‘Every Child Matters’. Adapted for ages 4-6 Phyllis Webstad (nee Jack) is Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek/Dog Creek). She comes from mixed Secwepemc and European ancestry. The author of multiple books, she tours the country telling her story and raising awareness about the impacts of the Residential School System. Her simple orange shirt has become a conversation starter for all aspects of Residential School across Canada and beyond. Brock Nicol is an Ottawa-based, full-time professional illustrator with a passion for realism in art. The youngest of seven children, Brock was born and raised in Ottawa, where he began the pursuit of art at a young age. He graduated from the graphic design/illustration program at Algonquin College and subsequently began a career as a freelance illustrator.
