Publishers Weekly
04/22/2024
Ojibwe teen Ezra Cloud hates his Northeast Minneapolis home; he’s tired of the bullying he endures from his peers regarding his heritage (“White people didn’t have to live that kind of fear,” Ezra thinks). He much prefers the surroundings of Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, his reservation on the other side of the U.S.-Canada border. The taunting becomes more personal for Ezra when bully Matt torments Ezra’s Ojibwe friend. That night, Matt’s father and uncle die in a house fire, and Ezra is the prime suspect. To escape police suspicion, Ezra’s father sends him to Nigigoonsiminikaaning, where he will work the winter trapline with his grandfather. While navigating the snowy wilderness, he learns about the animals of the area, as well as his grandfather’s past. He also struggles with unresolved anger at his father over his mother’s death while working at a dangerous lumber company. This leisurely paced novel by Ojibwe author Treuer (Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask, for adults) contains immersive detail about trapping methods as well as Indigenous tales about the natural world, making for an intriguing if meandering adventure. Ages 12–up. (June)
From the Publisher
I am in awe, crying and smiling at the same time. Where Wolves Don’t Die is a love letter to our Ancestors. This beautiful story is full of cultural teachings and characters so familiar that I'm pretty sure we're related.” – Angeline Boulley, #1 NYT bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter
“Intriguing.” – Publishers Weekly
“In Where Wolves Don’t Die, Anton Treuer delivers an unflinching yet healing story that showcases Ojibwe culture while exploring themes of forgiveness and reconciliation.” – BookPage
“A nuanced adventure centering family and growth.” – Kirkus
“Where Wolves Don't Die will lift you up and not let you down. Anton Treuer knows how to tell a gripping story and the suspense doesn't let up for a single page. Along the way you'll learn about Ojibwe lifeways, languages, sharp jokes, gentle humor, and how to keep romantic love alive from youth to old age. I couldn't put this book down until I'd finished it, and then, I could not forget it.” — Louise Erdrich, Pulitzer Prize Winner
[STAR] “Treuer (Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians but Were Afraid to Ask, 2021) immerses the reader in Ojibwe culture in this suspenseful novel of wilderness survival… An essential illumination of contemporary Indigenous life.” – Booklist (starred)
“It is quite likely that I will never stop reading Where Wolves Don’t Die. First of all, it’s an excellent piece of writing, and second of all, each time that I would read through one section I would want to go back and read that section or another one over again. I enjoyed the writing so much because the author’s thoughts reflected mine in terms of what I knew my life to be and what I had hoped could have been. I think it is one of the best pieces of writing I have ever read.” —The Hon. Senator Murray Sinclair, Chair of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission
School Library Journal
★ 07/01/2024
Gr 8 Up—Ojibwe teen Ezra stands up to Matt, the school bully for harassing Nora, his crush, and injures himself. The next day, he and Nora learn Matt's family perished in a house fire, and Matt, who survived, is blaming the fire on Ezra. Ezra's father Byron takes him up to "Red Gut," their reservation in Canada, to stay with Grandpa Liam and Grandma Emma. He is told he will help Grandpa work the trapline—a dream come true for him to learn hunting and survival skills. Ezra is free from the tricky situation at school and begins to process his mom's death, which strained his relationship with his dad, at their isolated trapping cabin. A long-buried family secret is revealed, and he learns how far Grandpa Liam will go to protect their family and friends. The narrative is well written with Ojibwe language scattered throughout. Grandpa Liam constantly educates Ezra on their history and culture, which sometimes sounds like a textbook. Ezra's struggles with a crush, loss of a parent, and a bully will resonate with readers. Parts of the ending are predictable, but there is a twist. Stylistic sketches of a wolf begin each chapter, since Ezra's family is wolf clan, and a bear sketch starts each section. Ojibwe translations are included, along with an author's note. VERDICT A great first purchase for all libraries, with a unique hero's journey for Ezra as he begins to assume adult responsibilities.—Tamara Saarinen
