Based on the true experiences of author Jenny Kay Dupuis' grandmother, I Am Not a Number recounts the story of eight year-old Irene Couchie. Upon being forcibly removed from her parents, Irene is told to forget her name and is only given one identifying number at residential school. Irene fights to remember her identity and her family amidst the demeaning environment she is placed in. Written to encourage dialogue about the first hand experience of children who attended residential schools, the story explores the dehumanising effect of diminishing one's identity to a single number.

Jenny Kay Dupuis is an Indigenous author, artist, and educator. As a teenager, she helped draft a proposal that was later adopted by the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System. With her knowledge, she has helped numerous NGOs and educational institutions develop a holistic understanding of Indigenous experiences.