Where Wolves Don't Die
Where Wolves Don’t Die is both taut thriller and a raw, tender coming-of-age story, about one Ojibwe boy learning to love himself through the love of his family around him. (Description from Birchbark Books.)
Themes: community, courage, family, resilience, grief, identity.
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From Levine Querido. To find the book, visit your local library or purchase from an Indigenous book store.
About the Author
Anton Treuer is an Ojibwe author, professor, and public speaker whose work focuses on Indigenous language revitalization, education, and cultural understanding. A descendant of the Leech Lake and White Earth Bands of Ojibwe, he has dedicated his career to sharing knowledge rooted in lived experience, scholarship, and community engagement.
Treuer is the author of more than twenty books on Native American history, Ojibwe language, and contemporary Indigenous life, including works widely used in classrooms, libraries, and community programs. As a professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, he works closely with students and elders to support language learning and cultural continuity.
Through writing, teaching, and public speaking, Anton Treuer engages audiences across the United States, offering talks and workshops for schools, universities, tribal communities, nonprofits, and public organizations. His work emphasizes relationship-building, respectful dialogue, and practical pathways toward equity and understanding.
– from author Dr. Anton Treuer’s website.
About our Honored Guest
Jenny Van Sickle is the Outreach Specialist at the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission. Van Sickle is Tlingit, Athabascan and was born and raised in Sitka, Alaska.
Van Sickle graduated with honors from the University of Maine-Augusta where she earned her Associate of Science in Mental Health & Human Service and went on to complete her Bachelor of Science in Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Jenny has lived in Michigan, worked in Minnesota, and currently lives in Wisconsin. Van Sickle has been with the Commission almost 3 years.
-Bio from Jenny Van Sickle
Discussion Questions
- What are some themes do you notice throughout the book and where do they appear?
- What role do relationships play in making us feel seen, valued, and secure in our sense of belonging? How do family and clan relationships affect the choices characters make in the novel? In your own life, how do the people you are closest to—family, friends, mentors—shape the choices you make?
- Think of a story Grandpa Liam shares with Ezra. Why do you think he chose to share that story in that particular moment? What impact did it have on Ezra?
Learning Activities
- Hold a story circle using the Story Circle Toolkit from the National Public Housing Museum.
- Explore the Ojibwe Word of the Day channel by Anton and Madeline Treuer.
- Keep a learning journal while reading this book. Write down themes you notice and how they effect the plot and the characters.
Explore More
- Explore Educator Guides by Anton Treuer and the NEA.
- Read interviews with Anton Treuer from:
- Watch Anton Treuer speak about “Where Wolves Don’t Die: