Firekeeper's Daughter

Firekeeper's Daughter is a young adult novel by Angeline Boulley, published March 16, 2021, by Henry Holt and Co. The book is a New York Times best seller.[1]

Firekeeper's Daughter
AuthorAngeline Boulley
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung adult fiction, Thriller, Mystery
PublisherHenry Holt and Co.
Publication date
March 16, 2021
Media typePrint
ISBN9781250766564

The book follows Daunis Fontaine, a half-native, half-white young adult who witnesses her friend's murder and becomes involved in an FBI investigation revolving around a new drug.

Boulley, who is Ojibwe, spent 10 years working on the novel as she researched "the intricacies of illegal drugs, to law enforcement, to hockey, to the ways of her own tribe, the Ojibwe people."[2]

Reception

Firekeeper's Daughter is a New York Times and IndieBound bestseller.[1]

Time magazine named the book one of the "100 Best YA Books of All Time."[3] It also received a starred review from Booklist[4] and Publishers Weekly.[5]

Kristina Pino, writing for Booklist highlighted how Boulley "doesn’t shy away from or sugar-coat the very real circumstances that plague reservations across the country."[4] She concluded that Firekeeper's Daughter is "an incredible thriller, not to be missed."[4] Publishers Weekly wrote, "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."[5]

NPR called the novel "absolute powerhouse of a debut," saying the novel "is so, so much more than a thriller or a mystery. The author's love for and connection to her culture is so deeply engraved into the very heart of this book and it beats in rhythm with each new plot development. As a non-Indigenous reader, every depiction and explanation of Ojibwe philosophy and traditions felt like a gift, and every depiction of injustice felt like a call to action."[6]

Kirkus called the novel "a suspenseful tale filled with Ojibwe knowledge, hockey, and the politics of status."[1]

Firekeeper's Daughter was named to the Bank Street Children's Book Committee's Best Books of the Year List with an "Outstanding Merit" distinction[7] and shared the Committee's 2022 Josette Frank Award with Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson's Milo Imagines the World.

The audiobook, narrated by Isabella Star LaBlanc, received a starred review from Booklist,[8] highlighted how LaBlanc, who is Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, handles the "Ojibwe phrases and traditions ... with ease."[8] They further stated that "her voice is young and earnest and her fluency adds to the portrayal of Daunis... LaBlanc’s sensitive reading will keep listeners plugged in."[8]

Awards for Firekeeper's Daughter
Year Award Result Ref.
2021 Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Winner [9]
Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel Finalist [10]
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Selection [11]
Booklist Editors' Choice: Youth Audio Selection [12]
2022 William C. Morris Award Winner [13]
Michael L. Printz Award Winner [14]
Walter Dean Myers Award Winner [15]
Josette Frank Award for fiction for older children Winner [16]
2023 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis Nomination [17]

Adaptation

Barack and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground, purchased the rights to adapt Firekeeper's Daughter into a TV series, which will be released on Netflix.[2] The book will be adapted by Mickey Fisher and Wenonah Wilms, who is also Ojibwe.[2]

In the production, Boulley has repeatedly stated that it is important to her that there are Indigenous individuals involved in the making of the series, both in front of and behind the camera.[2]

References
  1. "Firekeeper's Daughter". Kirkus. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  2. Ehrlich, Brenna (March 16, 2021). "How 'Indigenous Nancy Drew' Novel 'Firekeeper's Daughter' Caught the Eye of the Obamas". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  3. "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time". Time. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  4. Pino, Kristina (February 15, 2021). "Firekeeper's Daughter". Booklist. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  5. "Children's Book Review: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. Holt, $18.99 (496p) ISBN 978-1-250-76656-4". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  6. Paxson, Caitlyn (March 20, 2021). "'Firekeeper's Daughter' Forges A New Path Between Cultures And Genres". NPR. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  7. Hare, Peter. "2022 Edition". Bank Street College of Education. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  8. Smith, Candace (April 15, 2021). "Firekeeper's Daughter". Booklist. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  9. "Announcing the Winners of the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards!". Goodreads. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  10. "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Debut Novel!". Goodreads. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  11. "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2021". Booklist. January 1, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  12. "Booklist Editors' Choice: Youth Audio, 2021". Booklist. January 1, 202. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  13. Morales, Macey (January 24, 2022). "'Firekeeper's Daughter' wins 2022 William C. Morris Award". American Library Association. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  14. Harris, Elizabeth A. (January 24, 2022). "Donna Barba Higuera Wins Newbery Medal for 'The Last Cuentista'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  15. "'2022 Walter Awards'". We Need Diverse Books. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. Hare, Peter. "Awards". Bank Street College of Education. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  17. "Deutscher Jugendliteratur Preis 2023 Nominierungen" (PDF). Arbeitskreis für Jugendliteratur. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
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