Includes bibliographical references.

Indigenous teens Miikwan and Dez are best friends that navigate living in the city together, but when Dez's grandmother gets sick, Dez runs away instead of going to a group home, leaving Miikwan and the community to try and find her.

Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan is Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape―they’re so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together. However, when Dez’s grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can’t stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can’t bring herself to go home and disappears. Miikwan is devastated, and the wound of her missing mother resurfaces. Will Dez’s community find her before it’s too late? Will Miikwan be able to cope if they don’t?

789Y,Childrens Plus, Inc.

For ages 12 and above.

HL550L,Lexile

Decoding demand: 76 (high),Semantic demand: 92 (very high),Syntactic demand: 68 (high),Structure demand: 86 (very high),Lexile

Accelerated Reader AR,MG+,3.1,0.5

[NOVI-DEI]

American Indian Youth Literature Young Adult Book Honor, 2020