Synopsis
Summary
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When family tragedy strikes, Daunis must put her plans for college on hold to care for her ailing mother. Now, she finds solace in her deepening friendship with Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team—but even as she falls for him, she knows something isn’t right.
Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug. Drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine, Daunis goes undercover to track down the source, but the search proves more complicated than she imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. As the deceptions—and deaths—keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and decide how far she will go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
Notable Achievements
A Printz Medal Winner; A Morris Award Winner; an American Indian Youth Literature Award YA Honor Book; A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick; An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller; A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time Selection; Amazon's Best YA Book of 2021 So Far (June 2021); A 2021 Kids' Indie Next List Selection; An Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Books of 2021 Selection; A PopSugar Best March 2021 YA Book Selection
Reviews
Publishers Weekly: "Hitting hard when it comes to issues such as citizenship, language revitalization, and the corrosive presence of drugs on Native communities, this novel will long stand in the hearts of both Native and non-Native audiences."
Kirkus Reviews: "A suspenseful tale filled with Ojibwe knowledge, hockey, and the politics of status."
Booklist: "An incredible thriller, not to be missed."
The Horn Book: "A gripping page-turner, multifaceted, authentic, and suspenseful, that will keep readers wondering."
Link to Review
Educator Guide
This guide was created by Cherokee educator Kit Magee, and includes pre-reading activities, discussion questions, and extension activities.
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