This book is simultaneously a page-turning thriller, an intriguing mystery, a love letter to hockey, and a celebration of Indigenous heritage. This is a book for those who contain multitudes, who, like protagonist Daunis Fontaine, have felt the enormous challenge of straddling all of your worlds at once.
Title: Firekeeper’s Daughter
Author: Angeline Boulley
ISBN: 978-1250766564
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication date: 2021
Genre(s): Mystery, thriller
Available format(s): Print, audio. I reviewed the print version.
Awards, honors, notable mentions: 2022 Printz Award winner, 2022 Morris Award winner, 2022 American Indian Youth Literature Honor Book
Reading level/interest level: Ages 14-18, according to the publisher
Plot summary: It’s 2004, and biracial high school senior Daunis Fontaine has put her promising future at the University of Michigan on hold for the sake of her friends and family. On the white side of her family, she’s dealing with her French grandmere’s recent stroke, while her Ojibwe family mourns the recent loss of her uncle, a heartbreaking casualty in a growing problem with substance abuse in her community.
Daunis’ Ojibwe grandmother always told her that bad things happen in threes, and sure enough, Daunis soon witnesses another tragedy: the murder-suicide of her best friend Lily and Lily’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Travis. The feds suspect that this tragedy has something to do with a local drug ring, and Daunis soon finds herself aiding in the investigation. As she does so, she uncovers secrets and betrayal, all while navigating her own grief and her confusing feelings for Jamie, a new guy in the community with secrets of his own.
About the author: Angeline Boulley (she/her) “is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians” and, like Daunis, she is the daughter of an Ojibwe firekeeper (Boulley, n.d.). Boulley has conveyed that she is especially interested in stories about Indigenous girls and women and recently published Warrior Girl Unearthed, a follow-up to her debut, in 2023. Prior to her writing career, she was the Director of the Office of Indian Education within the U.S. Department of Education.
Critical review: The emotional pull of Firekeeper's Daughter struck me immediately and deeply. When Travis was first introduced and Daunis recalled how sweet and carefree he had been in his younger years before addiction changed his behavior, my heart broke. Daunis obviously loved him like she loved the rest of her Ojibwe community, and it felt like such a real memory of a friend. It seemed resoundingly clear that much of the book was informed by Boulley's own experiences watching her beloved community endure horrors like substance abuse. It was truly difficult on my heart to experience Daunis sliding through the seven stages of grief throughout the story and absolutely awful to realize that Levi and other forces have horribly betrayed her. But this cut straight to the heart was precisely what made this book memorable for me.
Related programming ideas: Firekeeper’s Daughter places significant emphasis on the importance of respecting Indigenous elders and their knowledge. I live on land that is presently known as the Bay Area but truly belongs to the Ohlone people. This book was a powerful reminder to invite local Ohlone elders to speak to our teens, maybe in a “Human Library”-style program.
Brief trailer: This book is simultaneously a page-turning thriller, an intriguing mystery, a love letter to hockey, and a celebration of Indigenous heritage. This is a book for those who contain multitudes, who, like protagonist Daunis Fontaine, have felt the enormous challenge of straddling all of your worlds at once.
Potential challenges: Firekeeper’s Daughter was previously challenged in school districts in the state of Washington “for themes of drug use and divisive topics” (Book Ban Busters, n.d.). What constitutes “divisive topics,” is not clearly defined but could refer to the sexual and gun violence that also occur in the story, or the treatment of Indigenous communities at the hands of the federal government. Although the challenges in Washington were ultimately unsuccessful, similar challenges could certainly occur again in the future.
Reason for inclusion: This book comes highly recommended by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo, a reviewer of works by Indigenous creators and an outspoken critic of Indigenous representation in literature. I’ve learned that if Dr. Reese lauds a book, you need it in your collection!
Check this out: The author talking about their book on Good Morning America!
References:
Boulley, A. (n.d.). About Angeline. https://angelineboulley.com/about-angeline-boulley.html
Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. (n.d.). Family of elders. http://www.muwekma.org/family-of-elders.html
Reese, D. (2021, May 3). Highly recommended! Firekeeper’s daughter by Angeline Boulley. American Indians in Children’s Literature. https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2021/05/highly-recommended-firekeepers-daughter.html
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