Novels
Synopsis:
One young woman’s relentless quest to become the first Cherokee astronaut will irrevocably alter the fates of the people she loves most in this tour de force of a debut about ambition, belonging, and family.
My mother took my sister and me, and she drove through the night to a place she felt a claim to, a place on earth she thought we might be safe. I stopped asking questions. I picked little glass pieces from my sister’s hair. I watched the moon.
Steph Harper is on the run. When she was five, her mother fled an abusive husband—with Steph and her younger sister in tow—to Cherokee Nation, where she hoped they might finally belong. In response, Steph sets her sights as far away from Oklahoma as she can get, vowing that she will let nothing get in the way of pursuing the rigorous physical and academic training she knows she will need to be accepted by NASA, and ultimately, to go to the moon.
Spanning three decades and several continents, To the Moon and Back encompasses Steph’s turbulent journey, along with the multifaceted and intertwined lives of the three women closest to her: her sister Kayla, an artist who goes on to become an Indigenous social media influencer, and whose determination to appear good takes her life to unexpected places; Steph’s college girlfriend Della Owens, who strives to reclaim her identity as an adult after being removed from her Cherokee family through a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act; and Hannah, Steph and Kayla’s mother, who has held up her family’s tribal history as a beacon of inspiration to her children, all the while keeping her own past a secret.
In Steph’s certainty that only her ambition can save her, she will stretch her bonds with each of these women to the point of breaking, at once betraying their love and generosity, and forcing them to reconsider their own deepest desires in her shadow. Told through an intricately woven tapestry of narrative, To the Moon and Back is an astounding and expansive novel of mothers and daughters, love and sacrifice, alienation and heartbreak, terror and wonder. At its core, it is the story of the extraordinary lengths to which one woman will go to find space for herself.
Reviews
“A story of decisions; right, wrong and everything in between, To the Moon and Back explores love and ambition and all its complicated messiness. With characters so perfectly rendered that you’ll want to hug them or give them a shake, Eliana Rampage explores what it means to belong in this immersive and exciting debut.” — Amanda Peters, author of The Berry Pickers (winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence)
“A soaring masterpiece that mixes the terror, care, betrayal, and death-defying love of family with deliciously abject lesbian drama and the beautifully self-destructive doggedness of possessing a singular dream. Every character in this novel will stay with you forever. I love this book.” —Casey Plett, award-winning author of A Dream of a Woma—
“A John Irving-esque tragicomic saga… This author is as ambitious as her protagonist: There are three novels worth of material here, all good. The moon or bust!” —Kirkus Review (starred review)
Additional Information
448 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Thrust into the foster care system from an early age, Apple moves from house to house on Prince Edward Island without finding a home until she's a teenager and taken in by a couple who never managed to have children themselves. When she falls pregnant, her foster parents are keen to raise the baby with Apple still in the house—to live as a family.
That opportunity is torn from Apple by members of the Catholic Church along with social workers and government officials. Their vicious practices take the babies of unwed mothers and give them to wealthy families in exchange for large "donations" to the church. Apple's beloved baby ends up with a rich couple in the U.S., and is lost to her.
The Baby Train traces her life in the aftermath of that loss, raising subsequent children, creating deep bonds of friendship with other women struggling against society's rigid norms, and carrying underneath it all an unending love for her firstborn child.
We also follow her baby's path, and watch his affluent, neglected childhood and then adulthood unfold. He never knows that his birth mother still yearns for him, still lights him birthday candles every year.
The shameful legacy of forced and coerced adoption in Eastern Canada is brought to life in this sweeping novel.
Educator Information
PEI's birth alert practice allowed hospitals or social workers to flag expectant parents whom they felt might put their newborns at risk. Generally, this practice targeted Indigenous and unwed women.
Additional Information
224 pages | 5.75" x 8.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Ukraine, 1944
As the world around her is ripped apart by war and infiltrated by Nazi soldiers, Savka Ivanets works as a medic for the Ukrainian resistance, stitching wounds by day, stealing supplies by night, and dodging firefights between the SS and Soviet partisans. When her husband, Marko, a reluctant member of the Waffen-SS, forces her to deliver a coded message to an underground bunker, she’s terrified. But when her mission doesn’t go as planned, and her son, Taras, is kidnapped by the KGB, Savka fears she’ll never see him again.
Salt Spring Island, 1972
For Jeanie Esterhazy, the world, with its whispers and curious eyes, is too much to bear. Ever since the horrific accident that left her badly scarred, Jeanie, unable to remember anything about that awful day, has pulled away from society, utterly isolated.
Then a mysterious stranger appears at her house, and Jeanie suddenly begins having flashbacks about the night of her wedding—flashbacks that hold answers to the questions she’s had for years; flashbacks that make her realize the world around her is not as it seems.
Weaving together Savka and Jeanie's stories with artful precision, The Last Secret is at once luminous and transporting, a brilliant and impossible-to-forget story of love, hope, and the breathtaking resilience of women.
Reviews
"An extraordinarily powerful novel cinematically weaving one gripping layer into the next. From the frozen hellscape of Eastern Europe during WW2 to the lush green of Salt Spring Island in Canada, The Last Secret delivers a thrilling story of survival and love that held me spellbound throughout. Brava, Ms. Caron! An easy five stars." —Genevieve Graham, #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child
"How delicious to discover sleepy Salt Spring Island, BC, caught up in the icy tendrils of a Cold War thriller. Sweeping from hardship to heartache, The Last Secret is a timely reminder of the improbable bonds forged, broken and recast on World War II’s Eastern Front. Here, revenge is served tundra-cold, but with a dash of sea salt and fire." —Shelley Wood
Additional Information
416 pages | 6.09" x 8.91" | Paperback
Synopsis:
From the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of Indians on Vacation, a witty and wry novel set in a small Ontario town where all is seemingly ordinary except for one thing—aliens have landed on the moon
In Thomas King’s new novel, the citizens of a small Ontario town face life-changing decisions. Bria’s grandmother asks her to take her great-grandmother’s rosary to Edmonton and return it in person to the pope. When she flings it into the lake, the rosary somehow hits the pope on the cheek, thousands of kilometres away. It is the same rosary. How is this possible? Thea is furious at her son for putting her in an old-age home. She should have had a daughter. A daughter would never have forced her from her home. Darlene is mixed up with the no-good petty thief Billy. When she ends up in the hospital, she finds Thea’s fanny pack on the floor. Darlene needs the $265 tucked inside, but she also wants a reward for returning the fanny pack. Herb has bought the drive-in movie theatre on the edge of town and has turned it into his home. He watches movies on the big screen while treating the parking lot as his personal driving range. Should he travel west to see his family on the reserve? Nico has a Subaru whose battery keeps failing, but there are no replacements in North America. Gary and Brenda from the dealership are having an affair. Richard wants to set up a dating profile but has no cell phone.
Just the stuff of ordinary life except for one thing: Aliens have landed on the moon. They are watching Earth and earthlings. What is their plan? With the arrival of the aliens, ordinary life is upended in ways that are both hilarious and revealing. While some people fear the aliens’ three-part mandate to save the planet (which might have been written by a grade 9 student in the US), others think the arrival of the aliens is a golden opportunity for a deep discount weekend at Costco that could possibly rival Amazon’s Black Friday.
Additional Information
272 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
A summer road trip takes a turn for the spiritual when Damon stumbles into a vision quest.
A bear and her cub, a strange silver ring, and an ancestor from long ago… Join Damon as he unravels these mysteries through a vision quest in this graphic novel for young adults.
For Damon Quinn, things have started to look up. He’s graduated high school, saved enough money to buy his first car, his old bully has kind of become a friend, and he and Journey are growing closer. Ready for adventure, Damon, his mom Marnie, and Journey take a road trip out to Kehewin Cree Nation to attend a Sweat Ceremony and a Powwow, as well as reconnect with family.
When Marnie learns of Damon's plan to meet up with his estranged father, the news sends shockwaves through the group. But Damon isn’t the only one keeping secrets. As Damon stumbles into a vision quest, he’ll discover more than he bargained for about his own history and the history his mother would prefer he never found out.
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 13 to 18.
This is the second book in the Dreams series.
Big Ideas: Aspects of Indigenous Cultures: Spirituality and Ceremony, Aspects of Indigenous Cultures: Sweat Lodge, Contemporary Setting, Diverse and Inclusive Representation: Addiction, Diverse and Inclusive Representation: Depression and Suicide, Diverse and Inclusive Representation: Identity, Social Justice: Family Separation, Social Justice: Intergenerational Trauma, Social Justice: Impacts of Colonization and Colonialism
Additional Information
80 pages | 6.50" x 10.00" | 75 colour illustrations | Paperback
Synopsis:
Eli must embrace his unique heritage and make an impossible decision about his future, and the future of Misewa, in this thrilling last adventure in the award-winning, Narnia-inspired Indigenous middle-grade fantasy series.
Eli, Morgan and Emily manage to free themselves from captivity as the battle between the humans, animal beings, and Bird Warriors rages on. But there's another, more personal battle, as Eli and an unlikely ally fight to save Mahihkan’s life through a previously forbidden portal. When the Sleeping Giant rumbles to life, the stakes hit an all-time high, and Eli has to reach deep within himself to summon the power so that he can protect Misewa against the dangers of colonization . . . forever.
Educator & Series Information
Recommended ages 10+.
This is Book 6 of the Misewa Saga. Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in this epic middle-grade fantasy series from award-winning author David Robertson.
Additional Information
280 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
By the celebrated author of Canada Reads Finalist Indian Horse, a stunning new novel that has all the timeless qualities of a classic, as it tells the universal story of a father/son struggle in a fresh, utterly memorable way, set in dramatic landscape of the BC Interior. For male and female readers equally, for readers of Cormac McCarthy, Thomas King, Russell Banks, and general literary.
Franklin Starlight is called to visit his father, Eldon. He's sixteen years old and has had the most fleeting of relationships with the man. The rare moments they've shared haunt and trouble Frank, but he answers the call, a son's duty to a father. He finds Eldon decimated after years of drinking, dying of liver failure in a small town flophouse. Eldon asks his son to take him into the mountains, so he may be buried in the traditional Ojibway manner.
What ensues is a journey through the rugged and beautiful backcountry, and a journey into the past, as the two men push forward to Eldon's end. From a poverty-stricken childhood, to the Korean War, and later the derelict houses of mill towns, Eldon relates both the desolate moments of his life and a time of redemption and love and in doing so offers Frank a history he has never known, the father he has never had, and a connection to himself he never expected.
A novel about love, friendship, courage, and the idea that the land has within it powers of healing, Medicine Walk reveals the ultimate goodness of its characters and offers a deeply moving and redemptive conclusion.
Wagamese's writing soars and his insight and compassion are matched by his gift of communicating these to the reader.
Reviews
“In Medicine Walk, Wagamese manages the nuances of betrayal and redemption with uncommon artistry. It is a breathtaking novel of sorrow, hope and polished steel.” – Thomas King
“A deeply felt and profoundly moving novel, written in the kind of sure, clear prose that brings to mind the work of the great North American masters; Steinbeck among them. But Wagamese's voice and vision are also completely his own, as is the important and powerful story he has to tell.” – Jane Urquhart
“Medicine Walk recounts the mythic journey of an estranged father and son who are searching for reconciliation and love. Richard Wagamese’s novel renders the Canadian wilderness with staggering insight and beauty. The same can be said for his understanding of the fragility, wildness and resilience of the human heart. Magnificent.” – Lisa Moore
“Medicine Walk is a masterpiece, a work of art that explores human interconnectedness with a level of artistry so superb that the personal becomes eternal.” – National Post
“A moving story…. Wagamese balances the novel’s spiritual and political subtexts with sly humour, sharp, believable dialogue and superb storytelling skills. Medicine Walk is a major accomplishment from an author who has become one of Canada’s best novelists.” – Toronto Star
“This is very much a novel about the role of stories in our lives, those we tell ourselves about ourselves and those we agree to live by…. Wagamese understands that the stories we don’t tell are as important as the ones we do….But Medicine Walk is also testament to the redemptive power of love and compassion.” – Globe and Mail
“One of the finest novels of the year…. Medicine Walk is not only a graceful book, it is a novel of grace, of coming to terms with hidden truths, of coming to know the secrets behind forbidding appearances, of finding the humanity within strangers.” – Vancouver Sun
“An essential read…. Superbly written.” – Now Magazine (NNNN)
Educator & Series Information
This edition of Medicine Walk is part of the Kanata Classics series, which celebrates timeless books that reflect the rich and diverse range of voices in Canadian literature.
Grades 10-12 BC English First Peoples resource for units on Childhood, Place-Conscious Learning, and Family.
Additional Information
256 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Lights. Cameras. Hockey!
The school year is finally over and Eloise and Leon are back in Matimekush for the summer. But this school break will not be like any other, thanks to a hockey movie being filmed in the community! Is it possible that Leon will be in the movie? Will Eloise, who is interested in directing, participate in the project? Summer will be busy with twists and turns of all kinds for Leon, Eloise and their friends. It's the summer of possibilities!
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 10 to 14.
Translated by Kateria Aubin Dubois, a freelance translator and a prolific beadworker. Her beadwork can be found under her Indigenous name, Nisnipawset. Kateri is from the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation. She lives with her husband, two children and a fluffy cat in Terrebonne, Quebec.
This is the third book in the Nish series.
Additional Information
240 pages | 5.00" x 7.75" | Paperback
Synopsis:
The award-winning, bestselling author of The Back of the Turtle and The Inconvenient Indian masters the comic mystery novel in this series opener, starring ex-cop Thumps DreadfulWater.
Thumps DreadfulWater is a Cherokee ex-cop trying to make a living as a photographer in the small town of Chinook, somewhere in the northwestern United States. But he doesn’t count on snapping shots of a dead body languishing in a newly completed luxury condo resort built by the local Indian band. It’s a mystery that Thumps can’t help getting involved in, especially when he realizes the number one suspect is Stick Merchant, anti-condo protester and wayward son of Claire Merchant, head of the tribal council and DreadfulWater’s sometimes lover. Smart and savvy, blessed with a killer dry wit and a penchant for self-deprecating humour, DreadfulWater just can’t manage to shed his California cop skin. Before long, he is deeply entangled in the mystery and has his work cut out for him.
Reviews
"The characters are really clever. . . . The dialogue is crisp and just begs to head to the screen." — The Globe and Mail
Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the DreadfulWater Mystery Series.
Books in this series include:
- Dreadful Water
- The Red Power Murders
- Cold Skies
- A Matter of Malice
- The Obsidian Murders
- Deep House
- Double Eagle
- Black Ice
A novel that will appeal to mystery fans as well as Thomas King’s loyal audience, DreadfulWater is a catchy, clever read.
Additional Information
464 pages | 4.19" x 7.50" | Paperback
Synopsis:
With four starred reviews, Angeline Boulley's debut novel, Firekeeper's Daughter, is a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community, perfect for readers of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange.
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.
Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.
Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.
Now, as the deceptions—and deaths—keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
Awards
- 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards winner
- 2022 YALSA William C. Morris finalist winner
Reviews
"Firekeeper's Daughter is a gripping and unforgettable story of family, community and identity told through the eyes of a protagonist so powerfully realized on the page, you'll swear you can hear her heart beat. Daunis Fontaine is a force to be reckoned with—and so is Angeline Boulley. This is one bold, uncompromising and elegantly crafted debut." —Courtney Summers, New York Times-bestselling author of Sadie
"Intricate and moving. Boulley takes the reader on an incredible journey with the assurance of a veteran novelist." —Tochi Onyebuchi, award-winning author of Beasts Made of Night and Riot Baby
“A rare and mesmerizing work that blends the power of a vibrant tradition with the aches and energy of today’s America. This book will leave you breathless!” —Francisco X. Stork, acclaimed author of Marcelo in the Real World and Illegal
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 14 to 18.
This book is available in French: Une dose de rage
If you enjoyed this book, you can return to Sugar Island in Warrior Girl Unearthed.
Additional Information
512 pages | 5.77" x 8.27" | Paperback
Synopsis:
A teenage girl walks home in a burgeoning blizzard, happy to have an unexpected snow day. Ignoring an Elder’s warning about the terror the blizzard holds, she finds herself alone in her home with an unseen presence stalking and tormenting her. What does it want? And will she survive?
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12 to 18.
Additional Information
40 pages | 7.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Ánte’s life has been steeped in Sámi tradition. It is indisputable to him that he, an only child, will keep working with the reindeer. But there is something else too, something tugging at him: his feelings for his best friend Erik have changed, grown into something bigger. Ánte is so aware of Erik and his body in relation to his own; everything he does matters so much. What would people say if they knew? And how does Erik feel? And Erik’s voice just the push of a button away. Ánte couldn’t answer, could he? But how could he ignore it? Fire From the Sky will warm your heart as Ánte experiences the magical, soul-combusting feeling of first love.
Reviews
[STAR] “A rare and triumphant look at what it means for queerness to stay put, with all the messiness and pain that entails… A fresh voice and a setting that’s pure fire.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“Fire From the Sky is a superb account of one boy’s struggle to be himself. Åstot does an exemplary job invoking Sami culture, and an especially good job of capturing Ante’s turbulent emotions, dramatically ratcheting up tension, as it is often agony for Ante to be around the friend he's so in love with. Much of Ante’s experience is universal, and empathic readers will hope urgently for his happiness.” —Booklist
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13 - 18.
Translated by Eva Apelqvist.
Additional Information
216 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback
Synopsis:
From the instant New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed comes a daring new mystery about a foster teen claiming her heritage on her own terms.
Ever since Lucy Smith’s father died five years ago, “home” has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a “ward of the state”. But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her, Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe.
Five years in the foster system has taught her to be cautious and smart. But she wants to believe Mr. Jameson and his “friend-not-friend”, a tall and fierce-looking woman who say they want to look after her.
They also tell Lucy the truth her father hid from her: She is Ojibwe; she has – had – a sister, and more siblings; a grandmother who’d look after her and a home where she would be loved.
But Lucy is being followed. The past has destroyed any chance of normal she has had, and now the secrets she’s hiding will swallow her whole and take away the future she always dreamed of.
From the internationally-acclaimed and bestselling author Angeline Boulley comes an explosive story about seeking vindication from a past that won't let you go.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 14 to 18.
Angeline Boulley's award-winning canon of books puts compelling characters and fast-paced action at the center of narratives rich in historical context. Read Firekeeper's Daughter; Warrior Girl Unearthed; and Sisters of the Wind in any order; but like the world itself; there are echoes within each for the other stories.
Pick this up if you love:
- quiet girls with dark pasts
- explosive opening scenes
- wolves in sheeps’ clothing
Additional Information
352 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Spirit Rider is an enchanting mystery for young readers, blending friendship, Indigenous storytelling, and the supernatural. In this third book in the Lillian Mystery series, Lillian and her friends once again find themselves at the crossroads of spirits and secrets. When a mysterious boy on a bicycle appears outside Lillian’s window, his mischievous antics hide a deeper, more haunting purpose. With her gift of communicating with spirits, and the support of her friends Chloe and Grace, as well as her wise Kokum and Auntie, Lillian embarks on a journey to uncover the truth. Can they unravel the mystery of the Spirit Rider? Or will this spirit’s secrets lead them somewhere they never expected?
Reviews
"[Lillian stories are] from the spirit and are messages for all of our First Nations relatives that it is now time to rise up and take this responsibility back to being natural helpers, and to nurture our children who are struggling.”— Robin Decontie, MSW, Director, Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Services
"Spirit Rider was captivating. I was excited to read the more adventures of Lillian. The caregivers were very kind understanding and patient with Lillian. The book is a perfect example of the seven grandfather teachings; love honesty respect bravery humility wisdom and truth. My emotions as the reader was crying and laughing. Thinking of how the spirit rider was feeling through his young life and Lillians jokes she loved sharing even if they didn’t really want to hear. As a retired Aboriginal Indigenous social service worker it was heart warming and I embraced the book whole heartedly of our First Nation children who perhaps have the same story, With Kindness to the Author Miigwech for allowing me to read this it was an honour."- Stephanie Sandy, Nimki Beneshiinh Kwe . Nookmis of Chippewas of Rama First Nation
"Lynda Partridge books have a way of drawing you in. I couldn't put it down. Her latest book Spirit Rider has you from the first page. Her characters and character development are amazing and so relateable to both young and old, indigenous and non indigenous. Her ability to reach the reader both spiritually and culturally is so strong it's almost tangible. Her best to date." —Sandra Herkimer, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Elder
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 13.
This book is part of the Indigenous Spirit of Nature series.
This book is also the third book in the Lillian Mystery series.
Additional Information
194 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | 6 Black and White Illustrations | Paperback
Synopsis:
Maddy’s Sash, by Marion Gonneville, with illustrations by Kate Boyer, is the story of a young girl who connects with her Métis roots while she spends time with her Moshôm, Kohkom and their special dog Max. Maddy has many adventures at her grandparents’ farm in northern Saskatchewan, including an exciting berry picking adventure, a dramatic canoe trip, and a rollicking barn dance.
Educator Information
Chapter book.
Additional Information
10 Chapters: 88 pages | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Dearest Departed, I do not know when I decided I was going to write. I am not a writer. You are. You were.
Honorary twins Ally and Andy, born at the start and end of the same year, have always shared everything — until Ally dies, his passing ruled a suicide by overdose. A year later, Andy starts her first year at college without her other half, writing letters to Ally as she makes new friends who know nothing about him, falls in love for the first time, and strives to embrace her bisexuality and her Indigenous identity. When Andy discovers the poems Ally hid in their room, she pieces together these remaining fragments to make sense of her brother’s life — and his death.
A story told through letters and poems, The Fragments that Remain is a heart-wrenching and hopeful debut novel from Mackenzie Angeconeb.
Reviews
“[A] powerful exploration of identity and trauma. … An affirming account of an Indigenous teen’s experience with multiple forms of loss.” — Kirkus Reviews
“[The] Fragments that Remain takes the reader on a candid journey of brokenness and awakenings. Through layers of grief, the narrator navigates the path toward hope and healing with beautifully authentic thoughts, feelings and experiences. This novel, the first from Mackenzie Angeconeb, is a triumph.” — Valerie Sherrard, award-winning author of The Glory Wind and Standing on Neptune
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13+.
Additional Information
270 pages | 5.37" x 8.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Cash Blackbear, a young Ojibwe woman and occasional sleuth, is back on the case after a man is found dead on a rural Minnesota farm in the next installment of the acclaimed Native crime series.
Minnesota, 1970s: It’s spring in the Red River Valley and Cash Blackbear is doing fieldwork for a local farmer—until she finds him dead on the kitchen floor of the property’s rented farmhouse. The tenant, a Native field laborer, and his wife are nowhere to be found, but Cash discovers their young daughter, Shawnee, cowering under a bed. The girl, a possible witness to the killing, is too terrified to speak.
In the wake of the murder, Cash can’t deny her intuitive abilities: she is suspicious of the farmer’s grieving widow, who offers to take in Shawnee temporarily. While Cash is scouring White Earth Reservation for Shawnee’s missing mother—whom Cash wants to find before the girl is put in the foster system—another body turns up. Concerned by the escalating threat, Cash races against the clock to figure out the truth of what happened in the farmhouse.
Broken Fields is a compelling, atmospheric read woven with details of American Indian life in northern Minnesota, abusive farm labor practices and women’s liberation.
Reviews
“A tragic, unforgiving crime novel that emphasizes the perils of the foster care system for Indigenous children.”—Library Journal, Starred Review
“Peyton Place meets Fargo in this clipped tale of misdoings in the Red River Valley . . . Rendon explor[es] the ways the deck is stacked against Cash because she’s a woman, an Ojibwe, and a maverick with limited respect for white men’s rules.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Rendon excels at balancing plot and character, taking time to probe Cash’s psychology while orchestrating a deliciously complicated mystery for her to solve. Readers will be rapt.”—Publishers Weekly
“Outstanding . . . Rendon delivers lots of suspense; a resourceful, rural community-smart heroine in Cash; and wrenching insights into the overt and covert racism endured by Indigenous people.”—Booklist
Series Information
This is the fourth book in the Cash Blackbear Mystery series from author Marcie Rendon.
Additional Information
272 pages | 5.83" x 8.60" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Billy Buckhorn, aka Thunder Child, battles the Owl Clan and the Serpent Society when they renew their ancient evil alliance. First, they launch a series of supernatural events meant to usher in a new age of horrific Underworld dominance. Next, bizarre weather patterns produce raging floods, and fantastic beasts from Native American legends roam North America once again. Worst of all, the Snake Priest, riding the ancient and malevolent Winged Serpent, rises from the deepest regions below to exact revenge and take control of everyone and everything in the Middleworld! Can Billy and his dedicated, gifted team--his oldest friend Chigger, Osage girlfriend Lisa, the Intertribal Medicine Council, and his allies in the Upperworld--prevent this apocalypse from happening?
Billy Buckhorn and the War of Worlds is the third thrilling installment of the Thunder Child Prophecy Series.
Educator & Series Information
The publisher recommends books in the Thunder Child Prophecy series for grades 10 to 12; however, they note that this title is appropriate for ages 12+.
This is the third book in the Thunder Child Prophecy, following the first book Billy Buckhorn and the Book of Spells and the second book Billy Buckhorn and the Book Of Spells.
Additional Information
336 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | b&w illustrations, 1 bibliography | Paperback
Synopsis:
Join or die! New York Times best-selling author Stephen Graham Jones and artist Davide Gianfelice are back in action for the next chapter of their heart-pounding historical sci-fi slasher Earthdivers!
A team of time-traveling Indigenous survivors had one goal: save the world from an American apocalypse by sending one of their own on a suicide trip to kill Christopher Columbus and course-correct world history.
Mission accomplished? Maybe not. Blood is still soaking into the sands of San Salvador as Tad’s friends suffer the consequences of his actions—and their own slippery moral rationalizations—620 years in the future. Faced with a choice to watch the world crumble or double down on their cause, the path is clear for Seminole two-spirit Emily: it's personal now, and there’s no better time and place to take another stab at America than Philadelphia, 1776.
But where violence just failed them, she has a new plan: pass as a man, infiltrate the Founding Fathers, and use only wit and words to carve out a better future in the Declaration of Independence. No need to cut throats this time…right?
The next chapter of the critically acclaimed sci-fi epic is here in Earthdivers Vol. 3.
Series Information
This is the third book in the Earthdivers series, preceded by Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus and Earthdivers, Vol. 2: Ice Age.
Additional Information
208 pages | 6.69" x 10.25" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Sweet Tooth meets The Raven Boys in this queer young adult contemporary fantasy about what it means to belong from H.E. Edgmon.
You can never go home…
Every day, all across the world, inhuman creatures are waking up with no memory of who they are or where they came from–and the Caravan exists to help them. The traveling community is made up of these very creatures and their families who’ve acclimated to this new existence by finding refuge in each other. That is, until the morning five teenage travelers wake to find their community has disappeared overnight.
Those left: a half-human who only just ran back to the Caravan with their tail between their legs, two brothers–one who can’t seem to stay out of trouble and the other who’s never been brave enough to get in it, a venomous girl with blood on her hands and a heart of gold, and the Caravan’s newest addition, a disquieting shadow in the shape of a boy. They’ll have to work together to figure out what happened the night of the disappearance, but each one of the forsaken five is white-knuckling their own secrets. And with each truth forced to light, it becomes clear this isn’t really about what happened to their people–it’s about what happened to them.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 14 to 18.
Additional Information
320 pages | 5.38" x 8.25" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Part coming-of-age novel, part searing examination of a community finding itself, Small Ceremonies is a tantalizing and heartbreaking debut.
“I fear for our friendship, for the day it will end, wondering when that day will be . . .”
Tomahawk Shields (a.k.a. Tommy) and Clinton Whiteway are on the cusp of adulthood, imagining a future rife with possibility and greatness. The two friends play for their high school’s poor-performing hockey team, the Tigers, who learn at the start of the new season that the league wants them out. Their annual goal is now more important than ever: to win their first game in years and break the curse.
As we follow these two Indigenous boys over the course of a year, we are given a panoptic view of Tommy and Clinton’s Winnipeg, where a university student with grand ambitions chooses to bottle her anger when confronted with numerous micro- (and not so micro-) aggressions; an ex-convict must choose between protecting or exploiting his younger brother as he’s dragged deeper into the city’s criminal underbelly; a lonely rink attendant is haunted by the memory of a past lover and contemplates rekindling this old flame; and an aspiring journalist does everything she can to uncover why the league is threatening to remove the Tigers. These are a sampling of the chorus of voices that depicts a community filled with individuals searching for purpose, leading them all to one fateful and tragic night.
Ferociously piercing the heart of an Indigenous city, Kyle Edwards's sparkling debut is a heartbreaking yet humour-flecked portrayal of navigating identity and place, trauma and recovery, and growing up in a land that doesn't love you.
Reviews
“The geographical and familial landscape of the ironically named Whiteway clan yields a subtle and fascinating portrait of growing up Native in Manitoba. The understatement underscores the intensity and contradictions of outgrowing your home and self. This is a truly fine novel.”—Percival Everett, author of James
“Small Ceremonies dropped my jaw with the glittering precision of its detail, and the life-affirming humanity of its characters. Kyle Edwards knows this world of frozen hockey rinks and fishing shacks just as intimately as he knows the warm and broken hearts of this Winnipeg community that he writes about. I haven’t been this excited about a debut in years.”—Michael Christie, author of Greenwood
"Small Ceremonies flattens the grass for us all. A power play of wit, grit, and generational spirit, phenom Kyle Edwards has you rooting for the Tigers when few will. With its scars, scores, and hard-won triumphs, this polyphony of neechies carries us through overtime into glory. A dignified, accomplished, and suave figure-eight of a novel."—Cody Caetano, author of Half-Bads in White Regalia
"In this compelling, multi-voiced first novel, Kyle Edwards carries us north to the landscape of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and into the geography of youth itself. This book—bracing, kaleidoscopic—made me relive those gritty, tender, fragile years before you are fully grown, when you still believe you can do both—stay rooted and fly free."—Danzy Senna, author of Caucasia and Colored Television
"Such a chorus of compelling voices here! I would find myself growing attached to one character only to find the next equally engaging. Edwards is, at once, bracingly honest about and deeply tender towards everyone in this novel. A stunning debut."—Aimee Bender, author of The Butterfly Lampshade
Additional Information
368 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
In The Raven Calls, we meet Raven, a young girl deeply connected to her roots and the natural beauty of Vashon Island. Raven's journey is intertwined with the ancient wisdom of a cedar tree, which becomes her guide, sharing stories and teachings that connect her—and young readers—to the land, its creatures, and her people's history.
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 14.
Additional Information
110 pages | 5.00" x 8.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
From the award-winning, bestselling author of All the Quiet Places, comes Brian Thomas Isaac's highly anticipated, haunting and tender return to the Okanagan Indian Reserve and a teenager's struggle to become a man in a world of racism and hardship.
Summer, 1968. For the first time since his big brother, Eddie, disappeared two years earlier—either a runaway or dead by his own hand—sixteen-year-old Lewis Toma has shaken off some of his grief. His mother, Grace, and her friend Isabel have gone south to the United States to pick fruit to earn the cash Grace needs to put a bathroom and running water into the three-room shack they share on the reserve, leaving Lewis to spend the summer with his cousins, his Uncle Ned and his Aunt Jean in the new house they’ve built on their farm along the Salmon River. Their warm family life is almost enough to counter the pressures he feels as a boy trying to become a man in a place where responsible adult men like his uncle are largely absent, broken by residential school and racism. Everywhere he looks, women are left to carry the load, sometimes with kindness, but often with the bitterness, anger and ferocity of his own mother, who kicked Lewis’s lowlife father, Jimmy, to the curb long ago.
Lewis has vowed never to be like his father—but an encounter with a predatory older woman tests him and he suffers the consequences. Worse, his dad is back in town and scheming on how to use the Indian Act to steal the land Lewis and his mom have been living on. And then, at summer's end, more shocking revelations shake the family, unleashing a deadly force of anger and frustration.
With so many traps laid around him, how will Lewis find a path to a different future?
Reviews
"A compelling novel, honest and compassionate, haunted by the past. Towards the end of the book, I tried to slow down, not wanting the story to end, but it wasn’t possible."—Mary Lawson, bestselling author of A Town Called Solace
"Brian Thomas Isaac reinforces his place as one of Canada’s most engaging novelists with the tender troubling coming-of-age story of Lewis, a 16-year-old growing up on the Okanagan Reserve. He’s a boy who sees and feels everything with intensity—the joy of swimming in a river, the cruelty of a racist neighbour, the complexity of his mother’s love, the sensations of his first deep kiss, the injustices of the Indian Act, which keeps turning his family’s life upside down. I couldn’t put Bones of a Giant down, wondering to the end if Lewis is just too sweet and vulnerable for the mean world around him."—Carol Off, award-winning author of At a Loss for Words
"Bones of a Giant has good bones. Isaac is a masterful storyteller with an observant eye for nature and a deep compassion for his characters. I loved this book."—Thomas Wharton, bestselling author of The Book of Rain
"A clear-eyed love story to both a people and a place. Brian Thomas Isaac is a vital voice."—David Bergen, award-winning author of Here the Dark
Additional Information
320 pages | 6.25" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
This updated Teacher Guide for Surviving the City is designed to accompany the Surviving the City series of graphic novels written by Tasha Spillett. This guide provides support for teachers to address sensitive topics in the classroom including racism; caregiver illness; the child welfare system; residential schools; and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. With the release of the third volume of Surviving the City, this guide has been updated to include revisions to the original lessons, two brand-new lessons, as well as up-to-date curriculum correlation charts that match current curriculum outcomes and expectations in Ontario, British Columbia, and Manitoba.
This teacher guide is designed to be a no-prep resource for educators suitable for stand-alone lessons or as a complete unit plan. The lessons in this teacher guide:
- support teachers with clear and concise instructions using the Activate, Acquire, Apply, and Assess (AAAA) format
- guide students in exploring, researching, and sharing the essential themes of the graphic novels
- are infused with Indigenous pedagogical practices
The Teacher Guide for Surviving the City is best suited for use with students in grades 7–12 taking English Language Arts; First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies; Global Issues; and similar subjects.
Educator Information
The student books for this work can be found here: Surviving the City Series.
Additional Information
91 pages | 8.50" x 11.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
In this tightly paced sequel to Redemption, Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran joins the Taos Pueblo tribal police department to uncover a member of her community’s murder…and the conspiracy behind it.
It’s been over a year since the case that almost broke her, but when Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran is called back to duty, she doesn’t hesitate to answer. A bank robbery has left an officer down and a suspect on the run. Law enforcement is in hot pursuit, and residents are on the lookout—but before anyone can catch the criminal, tragedy strikes.
A member of the Taos Pueblo tribe has been shot and killed. The culprit? An untraceable 3D printed gun. With the support of fellow tribal cops, Eva breaks the news to the victim’s family and swears to find justice.
More violence follows, feeding the rising racial tensions between the Taos Pueblo people and the Hispanic community. New evidence forces Eva to consider the possibility that the bank robbery and 3D guns are related, but until she figures out how, there’s no telling how deep this crime ring goes…or how far its evasive ringleader will go to protect it.
Reviews
“Ledford’s sequel to Redemption excels…For fans of books by both Tony and Anne Hillerman, along with others that embody the spirit and landscape of the Southwest.” —Library Journal
“Atmospheric, poignant, and set in the Taos Pueblo, Ledford’s tribal police officer Eva ‘Lightning Dance’ Duran doesn’t flinch in this dark, twisting tale that’s riveting from the first page. A fantastic second book in this new series from a master of crime fiction.” —Jamie Freveletti, award-winning and internationally bestselling author of the Emma Caldridge series
Series Information
This book is part of the Eva "Lightning Dance" Duran series.
Additional Information
352 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback
Synopsis:
From award-winning author Deborah J Ledford comes a thrilling new series featuring a Native American sheriff’s deputy who risks it all to find a friend who’s gone missing.
After four women disappear from the Taos Pueblo reservation, Deputy Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran dives into the case. For her, it’s personal. Among the missing is her best friend, Paloma, a heroin addict who left behind an eighteen-year-old son.
Eva senses a lack of interest from the department as she embarks on the investigation. But their reluctance only fuels her fire. Eva teams up with tribal police officer and longtime friend Cruz “Wolf Song” Romero to tackle a mystery that could both ruin her reputation and threaten her standing in the tribe.
And when the missing women start turning up dead, Eva uncovers clues that take her deeper into the reservation’s protected secrets. As Eva races to find Paloma before it’s too late, she will face several tests of loyalty—to her friend, her culture, and her tribe.
Reviews
“Deborah J. Ledford has artfully woven the voices of multiple characters connected to the Taos Pueblo to create a pattern of stories that illuminate the challenges as well as the enduring power of Native American women. The rhythm of daily life is evident in Ledford’s lovely, intimate prose. I eagerly await the new adventures of Eva Duran, who will, no doubt, unearth more mysteries in the buried layers of New Mexico.” —Naomi Hirahara, the Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author of Clark and Division
“Redemption is a page-turner! I loved reading about sheriff’s deputy Eva Duran and her battle against dark forces on the reservation. Sharp characters, a great setting, and a plot that keeps you guessing. A riveting thriller that hits hard and keeps you hooked.” —David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Anthony and Thriller Award–winning author of Winter Counts
“A riveting tale of murder and intrigue on a Native American reservation from an immensely talented voice in crime fiction. Deborah J. Ledford has created a page-turner featuring an unforgettable hero in Eva ‘Lightning Dance’ Duran.” —Isabella Maldonado, Wall Street Journal bestselling author
Series Information
This book is part of the Eva "Lightning Dance" Duran series.
Additional Information
366 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback
Synopsis:
There There meets The Night Watchman in this gripping literary debut about power and corruption, family, and facing the ghosts of the past.
Mitch Caddo, a young law school graduate and aspiring political fixer, is an outsider in the homeland of his Anishinaabe ancestors. But alongside his childhood friend, Tribal President Mack Beck, he runs the government of the Passage Rouge Nation, and with it, the tribe’s Golden Eagle Casino and Hotel. On the eve of Mack’s reelection, their tenuous grip on power is threatened by a nationally known activist and politician, Gloria Hawkins, and her young aide, Layla Beck, none other than Mack’s estranged sister and Mitch’s former love. In their struggle for control over Passage Rouge, the campaigns resort to bare-knuckle political gamesmanship, testing the limits of how far they will go—and what they will sacrifice—to win it all.
But when an accident claims the life of Mitch’s mentor, a power broker in the reservation’s political scene, the election slides into chaos and pits Mitch against the only family he has. As relationships strain to their breaking points and a peaceful protest threatens to become an all-consuming riot, Mitch and Layla must work together to stop the reservation’s descent into violence.
Thrilling and timely, Big Chief is an unforgettable story about the search for belonging—to an ancestral and spiritual home, to a family, and to a sovereign people at a moment of great historical importance.
Reviews
“A compelling and strong Native American novel about politics and power and how far some people will go to hold on to what they have.”—Brandon Hobson, author of National Book Award finalist Where the Dead Sit Talking
"Deliciously ruthless and absolutely huge, Big Chief unleashes the Shakespearean realities of Passage Rouge with seismic ambition and brilliance. Prepare to relish every dice roll, partisan jab, and monkey wrench thrown in this all-out showdown from maestro Jon Hickey—a colossal novel of and for our time." —Cody Caetano, author of Half-Bads in White Regalia
"Jon Hickey throws the reader in the backseat of a tricked out F350 and takes them for a wild ride across the Rez following a J. Crew NDN, a Chief who's in over his head, and their crew. This is a must read as Hickey brings us into the chaos and catastrophes that the colonial imposed electoral system creates in Indigenous communities but also shows the reader how community, a sense of belonging, and family is what really matters in the end. This is a book that you won't put down until the last ballot is counted."—Conor Kerr, author of Prairie Edge
“Taut, timely, and brimming with suspense, Big Chief questions our notions of power and morality, holding a mirror to our crooked, calculating world. This is a monumental debut."—Kirstin Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Counterfeit
“Big Chief features all the twisty chessmanship—the familial feuds, the financial games, the political maneuvering—of Succession and sets it against the backdrop of Indian country. Jon Hickey has written one hell of an addictive and important debut novel.”—Benjamin Percy, author of The Ninth Metal and Red Moon
Additional Information
320 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
We clothed the royals. We fed the worker. We guided the traveler. We abetted the soldier. We are not afraid to love. So begins Carl Gawboy's groundbreaking graphic history of the Fur Trade Era. From 1650 to 1850, the Ojibwe Nation was the epicenter of the first global trading network. Trade goods from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America flowed into the Great Lakes region, floating along Ojibwe waterways in birchbark canoes paddled by mixed-race Voyageurs. Gawboy offers a fresh perspective on the fur trade era, placing Ojibwe technology, kinship systems, cultural paradigms, and women at the heart of this remarkable era, where they have always belonged.
Additional Information
202 pages | 8.25" x 11.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
This thrilling romantasy about king’s Blade, Keera, and her epic quest to avenge her lover, save her people, and bring down a tyrant king is the final installment of Melissa Blair’s highly acclaimed series. The Halfling Saga showcases BIPOC and queer representation, love, passion, betrayal, magic, and great battles of the sword and the soul.
“Your land is not the one you take; it is the one you die for.”
Keera has tried to keep her final promise to Brenna, the partner she was forced to kill to save a kingdom—but that promise has led to the most difficult struggles of her life. She’s been at war with her worst self while battling King Damien for the freedom of the Halflings, and she’s lost too many along the way. But when she finally breaks the last seal, unleashing the Fae magic that’s been hidden away for hundreds of years, the conflict seems to be turning in the Halflings’ favor.
Meanwhile, Keera’s discovery of a staggering secret about her lover and the kidnapping of one of her closest allies threatens to tip her back into darkness, but she has no time to rest. Opening the kingdom’s magical seals has transformed Keera in ways even the wisest Fae elders could not have anticipated, and the return of an evil thought long vanquished throws their rescue plans into chaos. And with the kingdom’s Halfling population suddenly posing a risk to the crown, the land is plunged into violence as the king begins a new blood purge. Keera and her allies must gather an army to meet Damien’s forces in a final confrontation of epic—and tragic—proportions.
The stunning conclusion of BookTok sensation Melissa Blair’s epically romantic series will leave readers breathless as Keera fights for her land, her people, and the promise of a better world.
Reviews
"[F]illed with high-stakes action, choices, and consequences... Romantasy fans should add this series to their reading list." —Library Journal
Educator & Series Information
Young adult/new adult fantasy series recommended for ages 18+.
This is the final book in The Halfing Saga.
Additional Information
432 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
A pocket-sized comic by Indigenous Voices winner Cole Pauls.
Llege zedle s_on nes_it'in (Tahltan for we see stars only at night ) is a surrealistic landscape of Tahltan shapes, culture and motifs. Originally created for the Nanaimo Art Gallery's group show "Gutters are Elastic" between July 15 to September 23, 2023, Pauls decided to expand the work into a full-length book.
Playing with the connection between land, regalia, performance and heritage, Pauls follows in the footsteps of Tiger Tateishi, Hironori Kikuchi and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas with his dreamlike narrative.
Educator Information
This work was created in the tradition of "silent" (wordless) comics and uses symbols, shapes, and motifs for the narrative.
Additional Information
80 pages | 4.25" x 6.25" | 80 b&w illustrations | Paperback
Synopsis:
Residential school life through the eyes of a child.
Enos Montour's Brown Tom's Schooldays, self-published in 1985, tells the story of a young boy's life at residential school. Drawn from Montour's first-hand experiences at Mount Elgin Indian Residential School between 1910 and 1915, the book is an ironic play on "the school novel," namely 1857's Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes.
An accomplished literary text and uncommon chronicle of federal Indian schooling in the early twentieth century, Brown Tom's Schooldays positions Brown Tom and his schoolmates as citizens of three worlds: the reserve, the "white man's world," and the school in between. It follows Tom leaving his family home, making friends, witnessing ill health and death, and enduring constant hunger.
Born at Six Nations of the Grand River in 1899, Montour earned degrees in Arts and Divinity at McGill University and served as a United Church minister for more than thirty years, honing his writing in newspapers and magazines and publishing two books of family history. Brown Tom's Schooldays reflects Montour's intelligence and skill as well as his love of history, parody, and literature.
This critical edition includes a foreword by the book's original editor, Elizabeth Graham, and an afterword by Montour's granddaughters, Mary Anderson and Margaret McKenzie. In her introduction, historian Mary Jane Logan McCallum documents Montour's life and work, details Brown Tom's Schooldays's publication history, and offers further insight into the operations of Mount Elgin. Entertaining and emotionally riveting, Montour's book opens a unique window into a key period in Canada's residential school history.
Reviews
"A fantastic read. People need more books like this, which are directly related to the TRC but are also a testament to the strength and creativity of Indigenous literature." — Crystal Fraser, University of Alberta
"Brown Tom's Schooldays is a literary artifact from the residential school era. In this fictionalized coming of age account, Enos Montour captures the youthful hopes, dreams, and disappointments of his real life upbringing at Mount Elgin, one of Canada's earliest and longest running residential schools. Unique in style, tone, and perspective, Schooldays is an important read for anyone interested in understanding the residential school system and for all of us who call the lower Great Lakes home." — Thomas Peace, Huron at Western University
Educator Information
This book is part of the First Voices, First Texts series.
Table of Contents
Foreword: On A Personal Note, The Making of Brown Tom’s Schooldays, 1982–1984 by Elizabeth Graham
Introduction: Enos Montour, Brown Tom, and “Ontario Indian” Literature by Mary Jane Logan McCallum
Brown Tom’s Schooldays by Enos Montour
Chapter 1: Salad Days
Chapter 2: Brown Tom Arrives
Chapter 3: Brown Tom's Three Worlds
Chapter 4: The Milling Herd
Chapter 5: Loaf 'n' Lard
Chapter 6: Brown Tom Makes a Deal
Chapter 7: Too Big for Santa Claus
Chapter 8: Brown Tom's Happy Days
Chapter 9: Trial By Fire
Chapter 10: Brown Tom "Has It Bad"
Chapter 11: Brown Tom Gets Religion
Chapter 12: The Roar of Mighty Waters
Chapter 13: Happy Hunting Ground for Noah
Chapter 14: War Clouds Over Mt. Elgin
Chapter 15: Brown Tom "Arrives"
Afterword by Mary Anderson and Margaret McKenzie
Appendix 1: Glossary of Idioms and References in Brown Tom’s Schooldays
Appendix 2: Bibliography of Works by Enos Montour
Endnotes
Bibliography
Additional Information
216 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | 20 b&w illustrations, 3 maps | Paperback
Synopsis:
To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself.
At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.
In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.
Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.
What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.
Reviews
"Mask of the Deer Woman shines an important spotlight on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis while folding a compelling mystery into a heartfelt journey of grief, identity, and reconnection." —Vanessa Lillie, USA Today bestselling author of Blood Sisters
“A beautifully written tale about the Indigenous girls who disappear twice, once in life and once in the news. Clever, elegant and utterly compelling, Mask of the Deer Woman is a brilliant exploration of identity and the struggle of being separated from one’s culture. Hypnotic and beguiling, I was hooked from the first sentence.”—Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of These Still Black Waters
"A thriller that dreams are made of—thoroughly engrossing, riveting, an absolute pleasure. The work of a rare, singular talent."—Chris Mooney, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Walk in My Combat Boots
“Spotlighting the real life crisis of Native women and girls who are abducted and murdered at an astonishing rate, Laurie L. Dove presents a vital story of danger, corruption, and a fraying thread of hope in Indian Country. Full of mystery, suspense, and an enthralling dose of Native mythology, Mask of the Deer Woman is both a propulsive thriller and a much-needed call to action."—Nick Medina, author of Indian Burial Ground
“Laurie Dove masterfully tells a suspenseful story with a complex protagonist who straddles the worlds between the living and the dead and her dual heritages. A compelling read.”—Iris Yamashita, author of City Under One Roof
“Mask of the Deer Woman is a creepy, atmospheric page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging. Dove's detailed descriptions plunge the reader into the world of an Oklahoma reservation and its troubled inhabitants. Above all, this immersive debut is an ode to women's resilience and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters."—K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did
Additional Information
336 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
There is one every generation, a seer who keeps the stories.
Luz “Little Light” Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, is left to fend for herself after her older brother, Diego, a snake charmer and factory worker, is run out of town by a violent white mob. As Luz navigates 1930s Denver, she begins to have visions that transport her to her Indigenous homeland in the nearby Lost Territory. Luz recollects her ancestors’ origins, how her family flourished, and how they were threatened. She bears witness to the sinister forces that have devastated her people and their homelands for generations. In the end, it is up to Luz to save her family stories from disappearing into oblivion.
Written in Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s singular voice, the wildly entertaining and complex lives of the Lopez family fill the pages of this multigenerational western saga. Woman of Light is a transfixing novel about survival, family secrets, and love—filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, all of whom are just as special, memorable, and complicated as our beloved heroine, Luz.
Additional Information
352 pages | 5.17" x 7.96" | Paperback
Synopsis:
TO: Angel Wilson (LawAngel@IBLO.gov)
FROM: Stevie Henry (shenry@gmail.com)
Thanks for coming to see me; but by the time you read this, it will be too late. No one will have started to panic, yet; but in less than two months nothing will be the same. What came first, The Chicken or the Egg Flu? I wish it mattered. But let’s just say, maybe go back to wearing a mask, bathing in sanitizer, and avoid birds and eggs for a bit…
I did not kill my brother. I did quite the opposite, really.
It’s the year 2052. Stevie Henry is a Cherokee girl working at a museum in Texas, trying to save up enough money to go to college. The world around her is in a cycle of drought and superstorms, ice and fire … but people get by. But it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
When a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future -- and telling her what is to come -- she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.
From the author of the Walter Award-winning Man Made Monsters comes a YA novel that conjures our futures in startling life – the ones that we are headed towards, and the ones we can still work towards.
Educator Information
Young Adult Fiction
Additional information
400 pages | 5.95" x 8.55" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
In stunning full color and accessible text, a graphic adaptation of the American Book Award winning history of the United States as told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples—perfect for readers of all ages
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s influential New York Times bestseller exposed the brutality of this nation’s founding and its legacy of settler-colonialism and genocide. Through evocative full color artwork, renowned cartoonist Paul Peart-Smith brings this watershed book to life, centering the perspective of the peoples displaced by Europeans and their white descendants to trace Indigenous perseverance over four centuries against policies intended to obliterate them.
Recognized for his adaptation of W.E.B. DuBois’ The Souls of Black Folk and his extensive expertise in the comics industry, Peart-Smith collaborates with experienced graphic novel editor Paul Buhle to provide an accessible introduction to a complex history that will attract new generations of readers of all ages. This striking graphic adaptation will rekindle crucial conversations about the centuries-long genocidal program of the US settler-colonial regime that has largely been omitted from history.
Reviews
“Adapting a work of history as dense and as vital as Dunbar-Ortiz’s An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (2014) to comics form is no easy feat, but Peart-Smith is up for the task . . . A thoughtful, radically hopeful work that is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.” - Booklist
Educator Information
The publisher does not provide a recommended age range, but notes in the description that this graphic interpretation "will attract new generations of readers of all ages".
Table of Contents
Additional Information
120 pages | 8.22" x 10.28" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
In her remarkable second novel following her Governor General’s Award-winning debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small, snowy town that changes everything.
Overachievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?
Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.
People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants.
When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together.
Jen Ferguson burst onto the YA scene with her first novel, which was a William C. Morris Award Finalist and a Stonewall Award Honor Book, and this second novel fulfills her promise as one of the most thoughtful and exciting YA writers today.
Reviews
"Set in Alberta, this introspective, character-driven story examines heavy topics, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, depression, and anti-Blackness, with sensitivity and compassion. This sophomore outing by Michif/Métis and white author Ferguson features lyrical prose that softens the emotionally fraught narrative without sacrificing suspense, resulting in a mystery that subtly builds to a shocking reveal." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Ferguson's stirring narrative from multiple points of view features a friendship breakup, a manifestation of depression as perfectionism, and racism in the 'corrupt colonial country of Canada.' Achingly stunning prose, 'absolute mischief,' and exhilarating kisses compel a fast read." — Shelf Awareness (starred review)
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13+.
Additional Information
352 pages | 5.31" x 8.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
This compelling debut novel by new talent Byron Graves tells the relatable, high-stakes story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be.
These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team—even though he can’t help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident.
When Jaxon's former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him.
But stepping into his brother’s shoes as a star player means that Tre can’t mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with.
After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon's dreams, their story isn’t over yet.
Awards
- American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner
- Book Riot’s Best Children’s Books
- William C. Morris Award
Reviews
"Debut author Graves (Ojibwe) presents a deeply personal look at grief, the weight of expectations, and the ways we find connections with those we have lost... This one shoots and scores." — Kirkus Reviews
"Debut author Graves, who is Ojibwe like Tre, doesn’t shirk from showing his community’s ugly experiences, but he never languishes in them. Well-paced and exciting—the action of the basketball games is exceptionally well written—this is a solid piece of sports fiction." — Booklist
"Influenced by Byron’s own experiences, the challenges Tre faces are realistically difficult, including a team-wide drinking habit that nearly derails everything and Tre’s crush and best friend hooking up behind his back. That realism is nicely balanced, however, by a story that dutifully follows the beats of great sports movies with motivational speeches, unbelievable comebacks, raucous crowds, heartbreaking losses, and a lot of heart up to the final buzzer." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13+
This book is published by Heartdrum, an imprint that publishes high-quality, contemporary stories about Indigenous young people in the United States and Canada.
Additional Information
368 pages | 5.31" x 8.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
In this stunning novel, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author Louise Erdrich tells a story of love, natural forces, spiritual yearnings, and the tragic impact of uncontrollable circumstances on ordinary people’s lives.
History is a flood. The mighty red . . .
In Argus, North Dakota, a collection of people revolve around a fraught wedding.
Gary Geist, a terrified young man set to inherit two farms, is desperate to marry Kismet Poe, an impulsive, lapsed Goth who can't read her future but seems to resolve his.
Hugo, a gentle red-haired, home-schooled giant, is also in love with Kismet. He’s determined to steal her and is eager to be a home wrecker.
Kismet's mother, Crystal, hauls sugar beets for Gary's family, and on her nightly runs, tunes into the darkness of late-night radio, sees visions of guardian angels, and worries for the future, her daughter’s and her own.
Human time, deep time, Red River time, the half-life of herbicides and pesticides, and the elegance of time represented in fracking core samples from unimaginable depths, is set against the speed of climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and the sudden economic meltdown of 2008-2009. How much does a dress cost? A used car? A package of cinnamon rolls? Can you see the shape of your soul in the everchanging clouds? Your personal salvation in the giant expanse of sky? These are the questions the people of the Red River Valley of the North wrestle with every day.
The Mighty Red is a novel of tender humor, disturbance, and hallucinatory mourning. It is about on-the-job pains and immeasurable satisfactions, a turbulent landscape, and eating the native weeds growing in your backyard. It is about ordinary people who dream, grow up, fall in love, struggle, endure tragedy, carry bitter secrets; men and women both complicated and contradictory, flawed and decent, lonely and hopeful. It is about a starkly beautiful prairie community whose members must cope with devastating consequences as powerful forces upend them. As with every book this great modern master writes, The Mighty Red is about our tattered bond with the earth, and about love in all of its absurdity and splendor.
A new novel by Louise Erdrich is a major literary event; gorgeous and heartrending, The Mighty Red is a triumph.
Reviews
"A love triangle is at the heart of this novel, set against the backdrop of a beet farm in North Dakota during the economic meltdown of 2008-2009. It's as much about the financial crash and environmental destruction as it is about the people most impacted by and vulnerable to these devastations." — New York Times
"While the novel touches on tragedy, it also includes scenes of sheer comedic delight. No one describes a book-group meeting better than Erdrich. Pulitzer Price and National Book Award winner Erdrich (The Sentence) yet again displays her storytelling skills." — Library Journal (starred review)
"[A] finely woven tale of anguish and desire, crimes and healing. With irresistible characters, dramatic predicaments, crisp wit, gorgeously rendered settings, striking ecological facts, and a cosmic dimension, Erdrich’s latest tale of the plains reverberates with arresting revelations." — Booklist
Educator Information
The Mighty Red is a standalone novel, but it's also a sequel to Louise's 1986 novel The Beet Queen. It takes place in Argus, North Dakota, the same fictional town where many of her other novels are set.
Additional Information
384 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Uncover the Terrifying Intersection of History and Horror
Imagine a chilling horror collection that weaves classic monsters like werewolves and vampires with the true horrors of colonialism, domestic violence, and displacement. Man Made Monsters, by acclaimed Cherokee writer Andrea Rogers, delivers.
Follow a Cherokee family across centuries, from their ancestral lands in 1830s Georgia to the battlefields of World War I and Vietnam, and beyond. Each story offers a chilling glimpse into a different era, revealing how history's monsters intertwine with the supernatural.
Man Made Monsters is a powerful exploration of identity and the enduring legacy of colonization. Rogers masterfully blends Cherokee legends with chilling horror, creating unforgettable characters and monsters.
Each story is accompanied by haunting illustrations from Cherokee artist Jeff Edwards, incorporating the Cherokee syllabary for a truly immersive experience.
Don't miss out on this masterpiece! Man Made Monsters will stay with you long after the last page.
Reviews
“Man Made Monsters is a brilliant and expansive journey across time, seen through a Cherokee lens, written by the brilliant and essential voice of Andrea Rogers. This collection is full to the brim with voice and breadth, including but not limited to magic, horror, and fantasy. The book is fun, funny, and dead-serious. It is beautifully written, and it is full of monsters.” - Tommy Orange
"Although each of Cherokee author Rogers’ stories could stand alone (and versions of some were previously published individually), placing them in chronological order and thus in dialogue with each other results in a thematically richer read and allows readers the delight of tracing the family trees in the frontmatter to situate the characters in relation to other protagonists. " - Kirkus Reviews
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12 to 18 by the publisher.
Additional Information
336 pages | 6.02" x 9.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.
Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.
While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.
Determined to go on the trio’s postgraduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.
Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .
Reviews
"With a rhythm and tone that reads like poetry, Ferguson delivers an emotionally resonant tale in which profound interpersonal conflict unfolds against the lushly described natural backdrop of an adrenaline-inducing outdoor environment." — Publishers Weekly
"Explores disability and fat activism and fatphobia, with a side of romance." — Kirkus Reviews
"No matter who reads this book, they will find something in each character that will ring true. A must-buy for YA collections." — School Library Journal
"Conversations around love and intersectional analysis of Indigeneity, fatness, disability, queerness, blended families, and human interactions with nature are sure to pique the interest of readers also exploring the many facets of what makes them whole." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"A great read for all teenagers, and especially those who've graduated and are wondering what comes next." — Booklist
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13+.
This novel grapples with resentment, fear, grief, anti-Indigenous racism, and moving forward in a life you're not sure fits you. These difficult emotions and issues are handled thoughtfully and with empathy.
Additional Information
352 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover
Synopsis:
Thumps DreadfulWater has a lot on his plate. With Duke out of commission following his wife’s tragic death, Thumps is appointed temporary deputy sheriff, a role that makes him doubly eager for Duke’s swift recovery.
First, a myopic private investigator dies while in custody. The autopsy concludes that he died of natural causes; then an assault rifle is found in the trunk of the dead man’s rental car, and the mystery woman he was investigating disappears. Meanwhile, Thumps contends with a couple of horse-thieving octogenarians and a large, slobbery dog acquired in the line of duty.
As the rest of Chinook comes together to cheer on golf novice Wutty Youngbeaver, who is competing in the US Open qualifying tournament up at Shadow Ranch, Claire and Ivory decamp to Alberta, leaving Thumps to contemplate the simplicity of a life lived alone. If he can’t manage something as simple as a dog or a couple of cats, how can he be responsible for another human being? Two human beings?
The plot thickens when ninja assassin Cisco Cruz returns to Chinook, and Thumps finds himself knee-deep in a complicated web of deceit spun by a nefarious collective known as Black Ice. His job? To sort through the lies. It’s like a game of Jenga, where the blocks need to be removed carefully, one by one, or the whole structure will topple.
Series Information
This book is from the DreadfulWater Mystery series, a mystery/detective series from Thomas King.
Books in this series include:
- Dreadful Water
- The Red Power Murders
- Cold Skies
- A Matter of Malice
- The Obsidian Murders
- Deep House
- Double Eagle
- Black Ice
Additional Information
384 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Returning to his favourite setting of Fort Simmer, Northwest Territories, Richard Van Camp brings his exuberant style to a captivating teen novel that blends the supernatural with 1980s-era nostalgia to reflect on friendship, tradition and forgiveness.
For as long as Lawson can remember, his life in a small Northwest Territories town has revolved around “the Treaty” between the Dogrib and the Chipewyan, set down centuries ago to prevent the return of bloody warfare between the two peoples.
On the Dogrib side, Lawson and his family have done their best to keep the pact alive with the neighbouring Cranes, a family with ancestral ties to a revered Chipewyan war chief. But even as Lawson and his father dutifully tidy the Cranes’ property as an act of respect, their counterparts offer little more than scowls and derision in return, despite the fact that both families are responsible for protecting the treaty.
Worse still, it seems that one of the Cranes’ boys is doing all he can to revive the old conflict: Silver, fresh out of jail, has placed himself in the service of a cruel, ghoulish spirit bent on destroying the peace. Now it's up to Isaiah Valentine, a Cree Grass Dancer, Shari Burns, a Metis psychic, and Lawson Sauron, a Dogrib Yabati—or protector—to face what Silver Cranes has called back.
This latest feat of storytelling magic by celebrated author Richard Van Camp blends sharply observed realism and hair-raising horror as it plays out against a 1980s-era backdrop replete with Platinum Blonde songs and episodes of Degrassi Junior High. Unfolding in the fictional town of Fort Simmer—the setting of previous Van Camp stories—Beast delivers a gripping, spirited tale that pits the powers of tradition against the pull of a vengeful past.
Educator Information
Young adult fiction.
Additional Information
312 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback
Synopsis:
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This queer YA reimagining of The Secret Garden subverts the cishet and white status quo of the original in a tale of family secrets wonderful and horrifying.
Mary Lennox didn’t think about death until the day it knocked politely on her bedroom door and invited itself in. When a terrible accident leaves her orphaned at fifteen, she is sent to the wilderness of the Georgian Bay to live with an uncle she's never met.
At first the impassive, calculating girl believes this new manor will be just like the one she left in Toronto: cold, isolating, and anything but cheerful, where staff is treated as staff and never like family. But as she slowly allows her heart to open like the first blooms of spring, Mary comes to find that this strange place and its strange people—most of whom are Indigenous—may be what she can finally call home.
Then one night Mary discovers Olive, her cousin who has been hidden away in an attic room for years due to a "nervous condition." The girls become fast friends, and Mary wonders why this big-hearted girl is being kept out of sight and fed medicine that only makes her feel sicker. When Olive's domineering stepmother returns to the manor, it soon becomes clear that something sinister is going on.
With the help of a charming, intoxicatingly vivacious Metis girl named Sophie, Mary begins digging further into family secrets both wonderful and horrifying to figure out how to free Olive. And some of the answers may lie within the walls of a hidden, overgrown and long-forgotten garden the girls stumble upon while wandering the wilds...
Reviews
"Racism, colonization, and a love of nature are central themes gracefully woven into the story. An aching and emotionally immersive queer romance, unhampered by homophobia, unfolds through lush imagery blended with poignant and elegant prose. A rich and verdant revival of a classic." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Educator & Series Information
This book is recommended for ages 13 to 18.
This book is part of the Remixed Classics series.
Additional Information
304 pages | 5.52" x 8.24" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Five years, three months, and twelve days.
That’s how long Wren’s mother has been missing.
In dreams, Wren can see her again: her eyes, her hair, her smile. She can even hear her laugh. Her mother, one of hundreds of Native Americans considered missing or murdered in Oklahoma. Sometimes it seems like Wren and her grandmother are the only people still looking. Even more frustrating, Wren's overprotective father won't talk about it.
Wren refuses to give up, though. And an opportunity to find lost pets seems like a real way to hone her detective skills. But everything changes when one of the missing pets is found badly hurt. Soon, there are others.
With help from an unlikely friend, Wren vows to unmask whoever is behind the animal abuse. If she can do this, maybe she can do the same for her mother's case. She'll just have to keep it secret from her father who will certainly put an end to all her sleuthing if he finds out.
Find Her explores the crisis of missing Indigenous women from the perspective of a sensitive young Cherokee girl who yearns to find her mother, while also navigating a chilling town mystery, a new friendship, and a family in need of healing.
Awards
- A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Reviews
"Via crisp prose, Reno meshes plot threads involving abandoned shelter pets and a mystery surrounding a locator on Wren’s grandmother’s keys, which emphasize the futility Wren feels in trying to find someone who seems unreachable."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"A dramatic and captivating call for attention."—Kirkus Reviews
"Cherokee writer Reno crafts a powerful debut centering an important issue affecting Indigenous women and families; a strong purchase for all middle schools."—School Library Journal
"Wren's caring heart and single-minded determination to find her mom shows the frustration and anger felt by too many young people and their families over our country's national crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW)."—Traci Sorell, award-winning author of Indian No More and Mascot
"Find Her is a compelling novel written with sensitivity by gifted Cherokee writer Ginger Reno. In this contemporary story of Wren and her family in Cherokee Nation, Reno addresses the injustice of so many missing and murdered indigenous relatives and the heartbreak and hope that comes with not knowing. Find a place on your shelves for Find Her."—Andrea L. Rogers, award-winning author of Man Made Monsters
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 10+
Additional Information
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Synopsis:
There are worse places to live than the rez. Still, family distractions make it almost impossible for Ray Smith and his three bandmates to rehearse every day. So, fresh from high school, the four move to Wakeville, Manitoba to pursue their passion for music.
A half-year later, gigs come fast and thick, with the group touring the northern province. However, too much partying and fighting leads to a bitter split between the band and their volatile bass player, Butch. Bad luck and sabotage from Butch causes gigs to dwindle, and with encouragement from his best friend and guitarist, Ray decides to join a new, well-known band, where his music career takes off. Soon he’s recognized on the street, has spots on TV, and back home he’s hailed a hero.
But success has a dark underbelly. A girl goes missing, and Ray’s loved ones are terrorized by a faceless, vengeful stalker. The question isn’t the culprit’s identity—Ray’s almost positive he knows who’s responsible. But stopping the killer before someone else is murdered…that’s a whole other story.
Additional Information
234 pages | 5.25" x 8.00"
Synopsis:
Threatened by encroaching colonialism, one Métis family struggles to protect their way of life.
In 1869, the arrival of surveyors from the new Dominion of Canada sends ripples of anxiety through the people of Red River. As the Métis Nation begins negotiating terms for joining Confederation, each member of the Rougeau family adapts in their own way: Clément looks outward, trying to maintain his livelihood as a carter, while his wife, Marienne, looks inward, determined to hold their fracturing family together. Julien, the eldest son, joins Louis Riel to confront the same intruders that so impress his sister, Charlotte. As the Red River Resistance unfolds, the consequences of each choice become heartbreakingly clear.
Additional Information
256 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback
Synopsis:
A tender tale of two cousins
In Cousin Bear Comes to Visit, Metis artist Halie Finney introduces us to Francis the Bear as she prepares to reunite with her cousin. The pair haven't seen one another in quite awhile, so it's time to catch up, laugh–and uncover Cousin's big secret.
This debut work by Halie reveals a small snippet of the mythology of characters that she has created and modeled after her own hometown and the people who reside there. She uses the tales that come from her imagined world to explore themes of family, nostalgia, and grief from Indigenous and small-town perspectives.
Educator Information
The publisher recommends this work for ages 12+.
Additional Information
120 pages | 4.25" x 6.25" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Sascha Stronach’s queer, Maori-inspired Endsong trilogy reopens on a city in flames, where a magic-wielding pirate crew uncovers an age-old fight between the gods that threatens their world.
The steel city of Radovan is consumed by fire between. Stranded in its harbor is the crew of the Kopek, the survivors of a bioterror attack overseas. But they bear scars: their captain, Sibbi, has gone missing; Yat, their newest Weaver, is fighting for control of her own mind; and their Weaving powers are in a badly weakened state.
To disable the technology that prevents the group from escaping, Sen and Kiada must plot their way through the ruins of the foreign capital, which is patrolled by a hostile militia, using wits alone. But to navigate through Radovan, Kiada will have to rely on her own history with the city—one she shares with a band of misfits dubbed Fort Tomorrow and their leader, Ari, a charismatic thief.
Ari may hold the key not only to saving Radovan from complete annihilation, but the history of their world, which will come into play as the gods begin to unleash destruction on humanity and one another.
Educator & Series Information
This book is part of The Endsong series.
Additional Information
336 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback
Synopsis:
Unless there is snow on the ground, never speak their name aloud.
The more they eat the hungrier they become, and they are starving.
They were meant to stay undisturbed, their dismembered limbs scattered, frozen under the permafrost, but as is always the way, the greed of industry has unburied them once more. Now, the most feared, the Wheetago, have returned, using their powers to call back the Na acho, cannibalistic giants once banished by Dene deities.
The revered hero known as the Child Finder who is fighting to cling to his humanity after a Wheetago attack, a mother and her young son, and a desperate band of convicts, form an uneasy alliance to survive the Wheetago horrors now awakened.
ROTH, from award-winning, bestselling Tlicho Dene author Richard Van Camp, and visionary illustrator Christopher Shy is the first graphic novel in the Wheetago War series.
Reviews
"A storyteller is what Richard Van Camp is—a storyteller par excellence. He tells us of family and traditions, of past and present spirits. Through Roth, he weaves his magic yet again, entwined with the richly atmospheric and terrestrial palette of Christopher Shy. With the Wheetago War series, kind-hearted and horrifically evil come together to hold you fully embraced, page after page."– Kent Williams artist & illustrator X-Men, Batman
"This spectacular, boundary-pushing book will change the way you look at graphic novels.Rooted in ancient and powerful narratives, this captivating saga will have you holding your breath until it releases you from its grip at the end, only to want more.”- Waubgeshig Rice, author Moon of the Turning Leaves
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 15+.
This book is the first book in the Wheetago War series.
Additional Information
192 pages | 6.62" x 10.25" | Paperback
Synopsis:
In her stunning debut, Cheryl Isaacs (Mohawk) pulls the reader into an unsettling tale of monsters, mystery, and secrets that refuse to stay submerged.
When small-town athlete Avery’s morning run leads her to a strange pond in the middle of the forest, she awakens a horror the townspeople of Crook’s Falls have long forgotten.
The black water has been waiting. Watching. Hungry for the souls it needs to survive.
Avery can smell the water, see it flooding everywhere; she thinks she's losing her mind. And as the black water haunts Avery—taking a new form each time—people in town begin to go missing.
Though Avery had heard whispers of monsters from her Kanien’kéha:ka (Mohawk) relatives, she has never really connected to her Indigenous culture or understood the stories. But the Elders she has distanced herself from now may have the answers she needs.
When Key, her best friend and longtime crush, is the next to disappear, Avery is faced with a choice: listen to the Kanien’kéha:ka and save the town but lose her friend forever…or listen to her heart and risk everything to get Key back.
An unmissable horror novel for readers who devoured Trang Thanh Tran’s She Is a Haunting or Claire Legrand’s Sawkill Girls!
Reviews"
Sharp prose and humorous banter permeate this stellar debut by Isaacs, who crafts an atmospheric mystery filled with intrigue and harrowing imagery that shimmers brilliantly amid the eerie setting." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A harrowing work that combines suspense with a coming-of-age journey of cultural exploration." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Educator Information
Recommended for ages 13+
Additional Information
336 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Hardcover