Tag Archives: Ojibwa Indians

YA – Warrior Girl Unearthed

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Boulley, Angeline. Warrior Girl Unearthed. Henry Holt and Co., 2023. 978-1-250-76658-8. $19.99. 400 p. Grades 9-12.

Perry Firekeeper Birch is looking forward to her summer vacation without any responsibilities. When she damages her auntie’s Jeep, she joins a summer program, along with her twin sister Pauline, in order to pay her back. In addition to her internship placement, she joins team “misfit toys” with some of the other reluctant interns. Together, they compete in team challenges and assist in a police investigation into the disappearance of women from her tribe. When Perry learns about the bones of one of her Anishinaabe ancestors, “Warrior Girl,” being kept at a local university, they come up with a plot to return the sacred remains to where they belong. 

THOUGHTS: Warrior Girl Unearthed is a follow up to Firekeeper’s Daughter. However, enough time has passed between the stories that readers can pick up this novel without having read the other. Readers unfamiliar with Native American ancestral burial rites will gain some insight into NAGPRA and empathy for tribes who are unable to bring their ancestors home. I enjoyed Perry’s journey as she matured and grew and learned more about her tribe’s history. As a protagonist, her actions and emotions will be very relatable to readers as she deals with the injustices of her tribe. The novel’s mystery and powerful messages will keep readers hooked until the very end.

Fantasy

YA – Firekeeper’s Daughter

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Boulley, Angeline. Firekeeper’s Daughter. Henry, Holt, and Co. 2021. 978-1-250-76656-4. $18.99. 496 p. Grades 9-12.

Daunis Fontaine, a recent high school graduate and former hockey star, lives in two different worlds. Set in Michigan’s upper peninsula, her Fontaine world includes her mother, grandmother, and recently deceased uncle, but she’s also half Anishinaabe. Her father was a part of the nearby Ojibwe tribe, and although she’s not an official member, the family and friends she has there mean just as much to her. After witnessing the murder of her best friend, Daunis decides to go undercover and help with a criminal investigation in order to save her tribe members from any further corruption. As the mysteries of the investigation unfold, she discovers some awful truths about the people she thought she knew and trusted, and it will take all of her strength to persevere without ruining her own life and relationships in the process.

THOUGHTS:  This debut novel gives readers a glimpse into modern, Native American culture along with traditions and beliefs unique to the Anishinaabe people, specifically an Ojibwe tribe located in the upper peninsula of Michigan. The author shines light on both the positive and negative aspects of life among the tribe, specifically a methamphetamine problem and the effect the drug is having on their community. Firekeeper’s Daughter is a thrilling and intense story that touches on sensitive issues including murder, addiction, grief, and sexual assault and a complex, main character who must find the strength to overcome the many obstacles in her life.

Realistic Fiction          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD