Firekeeper's Daughter

By: Angeline Boulley

Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc

"Isabella Star LaBlanc brings an authentic-sounding narration to this powerful audiobook.... Dialogue, including words in other languages, is handled with effortless transitions and clear depictions between characters. This audiobook should not be missed." (AudioFile magazine, Earphones Award winner)

A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick

An Instant Number One New York Times Best Seller

Soon to be adapted at Netflix for TV with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground.

“One of this year's most buzzed about young adult novels.” (Good Morning America)

For fans of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange, Angeline Boulley's debut novel, Firekeeper's Daughter, is a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community.

Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.

Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.

Now, as the deceptions - and deaths - keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.

A 2021 Kids' Indie Next List Selection

An Amazon Best Book of the Month for March Selection

An Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Books of 2021 Selection

A PopSugar Best March 2021 YA Book Selection

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

"The text is filled with Ojibwe phrases and traditions that Native American reader LaBlanc (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota) handles with ease. Her voice is young and earnest and her fluency adds to the portrayal of Daunis.... It’s a tale filled with suspense, and LaBlanc’s sensitive reading will keep listeners plugged in." (Booklist, starred review)

"Expert narration from Isabella Star LeBlanc, a Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota, brings authenticity to Daunis’s joy, anger, fear, and grief while providing distinct voices for the supporting cast, including the tribal elders. LeBlanc’s captivating voice draws readers in, expressing every mundane, sweet, heartbreaking, and life-threatening moment." (School Library Journal, starred review)

©2021 Angeline Boulley (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee, 2022

Michael L. Printz Award - Medal, 2022

Goodreads Choice Awards, 2021

School Library Best Books of the Year, 2021

Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2021

NPR Best Book of the Year, 2021

YALSA William C. Morris, 2022

Read this book! You will be better for it.

A good book. A true story in so many ways. Living in both worlds is a possible way, done in a healthy way that can benefit our community and our world.

Good story- horrible recording

The story was good- slow at times and a lot of characters to keep track of. This might be the worst audio recording I’ve ever listened to. The narrator does ok but the sound quality is tinny and there are obvious and awkward patches of audio dropped in. It seemed like all of the native language was recorded separately and then dropped into the audio without blending it into the rest of the sentence cadence. It felt really bizarre to listen to it that way.

Well-paced, thought-provoking, suspenseful

I really enjoyed being shown how the cultural practices and history of the Ojibwe and broader Anishinaabe take shape in people's everyday lives and communities. The author provided education and context in a skillful and engaging way throughout the story. She also did a great job capturing the voice of a young narrator while showing the portrayed situations with more depth and nuance than a young person might see.

The story itself was gripping, and the characters felt real. I liked that the narrative centered around multiple generations of women and showed them as whole people, with strength and also vulnerability. The story deals with subject matter that is only beginning to enter the consciousness of non-indigenous Americans, and makes it real and personal. It made me want to learn more.

The narration had some mild audio glitches, and the narrator sometimes struggled with male voices, but it was still overall an enjoyable listen.

Great, authentic reader. Pleasure to listen to.

The reader was amazing and authentic. Loved her calming and strong voice when she spoke in the Native American tongue.

A Memorable "Shero"

A good story that spotlights the difficulty of being a young native American woman in today's world, living in a white man's culture and still staying true to her community and her own culture. The plot is compelling, highlighting the. drug dangers that our teens face in today's world. The narrator made the story come alive and the characters were sympathetic, and featured a strong " shero ". Hoping for more by this author & narrator.

Best Book I've listened to in a long time.

A thoughtful, educational and entertaining experience.

The cast of well developed and believable characters who generate compelling dialog kept me engaged entirely.

More personally, I appreciated the strength, vulnerability and determination of the protagonist. She was imperfect, and beautifully written.
I hope the author continues to write, and look forward to purchasing another of her works.

best book I've listened to in awhile

I loved the characters in this book. I laughed out loud several times and cried too. I appreciated learning a little about the native culture. its a gripping story from start to finish. very powerful.

mysteries evolve inIndian tribe

thought it was well narrated, story line held interest, but a little meandering. I would recommend to younger readers.

Great story! Awesomely narrated!

I will definitely listen again! I love how the author integrated modern and traditional Native culture and history, especially the language and customs of the Anishinaabe.

An Excellent Feminist Thriller

I read somewhere that what the author wanted the audience to be left thinking about more than just the action in this book and it really delivers. This book takes seemingly conflicting ideas, such as accountability/justice and loving hurtful people and shows how the heart and world can be big enough to hold both. Really high stakes scenes are presented- this is the first time in a long time that I've stayed up really late with a book because I knew I couldn't sleep till I got to the end! The cherry on top was how this story gave me high stakes action and deep themes to consider at the same time. An awesome story all around!