Synopsis
Summary
Benjamin Waterfalls comes from a broken home, and the quickest fix he’s found for his life is to fill that emptiness with stuff he steals and then sells. But he’s been caught one too many times, and when he appears before a tough judge, his mother proposes sending him to “boot camp” at the Ojibwe reservation where they used to live.
Soon he is on his way to Grand Portage, Minnesota, to live with his father — the man Benny hasn’t seen in years. Not only is “boot camp” not what he expects, but his rehabilitation seems to be in the hands of the tribal leader’s daughter, who wears a mask. Why? Finding the answer to this and so many other questions prove tougher than any military-style boot camp. Will answers be enough for Benny to turn his life around and embrace his second chance?
Notable Achievements
A 2023 Lone Star Reading List Selection; NYPL Best Books of the Year; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
Reviews
School Library Journal: "A heartfelt, endearing, and inspiring story of second chances and first steps toward greatness. Recommended for purchase."
Publishers Weekly: "Ben's voice is snappy and captivating, and Bird, who is Ojibwe, delivers an uplifting narrative that demonstrates how returning to one's roots can have transformative power."
Link to Review
Link to Review
Link to Review
Educator Guide
Link to Guide
Check Out More Books
Wheetago War: Roth
Burning Cold: An Inuit and Dene Comics Collection
The Rez Doctor
Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life
-
The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls
-
Burning Cold: An Inuit and Dene Comics Collection
Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher and Âhâsiw’s Forest Powwow
What Is Land Back? (Racial Justice in America: Indigenous Peoples)
