CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
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Where Wolves Don't Die
CCBC Review:
Minneapolis teen Ezra longs to spend more time at Red Gut, the Ojibwe reservation where his extended paternal family lives. When his school bully, Matt, is killed in a house fire, Ezra is brought in for questioning; he’d punched a locker earlier that day after Matt threatened Ezra’s friend and crush, Nora. While he complies with the investigation, Ezra’s father also swiftly moves Ezra to live with his grandparents just over the Canadian border, in Red Gut. Ezra is invited to spend the winter on a remote trapline with his beloved grandpa Liam, learning the ways of his people. Life on the trapline requires strength, discipline, and patience. Traps must be set and monitored, and animals must be collected and prepared for food. Ezra and Grandpa Liam live in a small cabin without running water or electricity, in woods that are home to wolves, bears, and other potentially dangerous animals. During visits back to Red Gut, Ezra and Nora try to determine exactly what happened during the fire at Matt’s house. While it has moments of gripping intensity, this novel excels in depicting Ezra’s meaningful growth and learning over a winter on the trapline, an experience told with fascinating detail. At the novel’s heart is the strong, but tender, bond between Ezra and his grandfather, whose skillful guidance helps Ezra grow into his place in his Native community. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Crime
First/Native Nations
Grandfathers
Nature/Environment
Ojibwe People
Older Adults
Rural Life
Teachers/Mentors
Diversity subject:
Indigenous
On CCBC Booklist:
Bullying, Teasing, Relational Aggression and School Violence
Publisher:
Levine Querido
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 313
ISBN: 9781646143818
CCBC Location: Fiction, Treuer
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.