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. He 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. (Ages 12 and older)