This novel follows a young Anishinaabe boy named Red Wolf as he goes through a horrific journey in residential schools. Red Wolf lives with his tribe, “The People” until he becomes a young boy. At that point, he is taken to a residential school led by priests and nuns committed to killing the “good for nothing Indian savage” inside him. The novel focuses on Red Wolf’s harrowing journey, along with his companion Crooked Ear—a real wolf—who has been his friend since infancy. The trials they encounter as the settlers attempt to assimilate and kill them creates an unbreakable bond between them, and inspires a deep connection with the reader. Though winter is coming, and Red Wolf’s life is turned upside down after his assimilation into white culture, he tries to remain true to himself, and Crooked Ear. Both are dying cultures in this era, and they must both do whatever it takes to survive.

I found this book engaging, though not because of the quality of the writing, or even the story, but the topic. The brutally honest take on what happened to the indigenous cultures of Canada is a heart-breaking piece of literature, and the reader feels for Red Wolf (or, as he is named by the priests, George). Though the story is sweet, it is not superb. There are, however, moments of brilliance, as Dance portrays the emotions of the various characters. To be honest, I cried reading this book, and think I am better for reading it, because it is an important story to be told, and history textbooks can’t do it justice. As a warning, there are brief moments of violence, such as punishment for the children in residential schools, and the untimely fate of a beloved character.

The literary quality was mediocre. The characters learned from their mistakes, developed relationships, and in this way were not two-dimensional. But they were still difficult to grasp fully. The story follows fictionalized true events, which are very hard to swallow, but invaluable for Canadians to know and accept. In summary, the novel was somewhat unengaging in the storyline, but it had its own moments of value.

I would recommend this book to anyone, though I think people will get different lessons from it at different ages. I am fourteen, and found the writing level to be too juvenile, but I can grasp the deeper message about the horrors experienced by indigenous children more than the intended reading level, about 13. This book made me stop and think, and Jennifer Dance does an excellent job of portraying the emotions of a young boy, and what he can grasp of the terrible situation he is caught in the midst of.

For a similar read, there are other novels by Jennifer Dance, such as Hawk and Paint. I would strongly recommend the trilogy by Rick Revelle, which includes Algonquin Spring and I am Algonquin.