Forever Birchwood

Twelve-year-old Wolf and her three best friends live in Northern Ontario and share a deep love of nature. When Wolf’s grandmother shares a story about her great-grandfather, Wolf understands that her fate is to protect the trees and the wilderness around her. She embarks on a dangerous mission to save the trees destined to be cut for a new housing development. Highlighting Wolf’s strong connection to her Indigenous roots, this story takes readers on an adventure with well-developed characters and age-appropriate social struggles, presenting conflicts that intermediate-level students may find relatable and realistic. Teachers may introduce this book as a class read-aloud, in small-group novel studies, or for independent reading. Students may be prompted to connect to the tale and make inferences to develop a deeper understanding of the story and themes.