Where Wolves Don’t Die

A Novel
by Anton Treuer

Where Wolves Don’t Die by Anton Treuer – Indigenous young adult coming-of-age novel

Where Wolves Don’t Die is a powerful young adult novel for all ages—a gripping thriller and a tender coming-of-age story that offers readers an intimate window into living Indigenous culture, grounded in love, healing, family, and resilience.

Ezra Cloud hates living in Northeast Minneapolis. He misses the rez at Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, hates the polluted snow of the city, and dreads the local bully who terrorizes him and his friend Nora. When Ezra defends Nora in a school fight and a house burns down the same night, Ezra becomes the prime suspect. Knowing he won’t get a fair deal, his family sends him to run traplines with his grandfather in a remote part of Canada—while the people looking for him close in.

What unfolds is a story that is both suspenseful and deeply humane: a boy learning who he is through the love of his family, the teachings of his elders, and reconnection with land, language, and culture. Rather than centering trauma alone, Where Wolves Don’t Die offers a rare and necessary vision of healing, healthy masculinity, and Indigenous joy.

From acclaimed author Anton Treuer, this novel speaks to universal themes—love, grief, belonging, courage, and growth—while remaining rooted in Ojibwe life and values.

An immersive, fast-paced Indigenous coming-of-age thriller with extraordinary heart.

Praise for Where Wolves Don’t Die

“Where Wolves Don't Die will lift you up and not let you down… I couldn't put this book down until I'd finished it, and then, I could not forget it.”
— Louise Erdrich, Pulitzer Prize–winning author

“I am in awe, crying and smiling at the same time. Where Wolves Don’t Die is a love letter to our Ancestors.”
— Angeline Boulley, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“It is one of the best pieces of writing I have ever read.”
— The Hon. Senator Murray Sinclair, Chair, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission

“An essential illumination of contemporary Indigenous life.”
— Booklist (Starred Review)

“A great first purchase for all libraries.”
— School Library Journal (Starred Review)

“A nuanced adventure centering family and growth.”
— Kirkus Reviews

“Where Wolves Don’t Die is unflinching and edgy, but wholesome and warm… This book is a masterpiece.”
— Melissa Baabiitaw Boyd, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Anton Treuer author of Where Wolves Don’t Die Indigenous young adult fiction

Awards & Honors

  • Winner, Minnesota Book Award (2025)

  • Winner, Heartland Bookseller Award (2025)

  • Winner, Maine’s North Star Book Award (2025–2026)

  • NEA Read Across America Selection (2025–26)

  • Global Read Aloud Selection (2025)

  • New York Public Library, Best Books for Teens (2024)

  • Chicago Public Library, Best of the Best (2024)

  • Cooperative Children’s Book Center, Best of the Year

  • YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2025)

  • Bank Street College of Education, Best Books of the Year (2025)

  • Indigenous Reads Rising

  • Wisconsin Battle of the Books (2026)

  • Michigan Battle of the Books (2025)
    (and many more)

Selected Quotes from the Novel

“Ezra, some people think growth only happens in the spring… But growth is more than a springtime flood—it’s a dance.”

“For some people, fear and loss close their hearts… But somehow, they opened me.”

“That hit me in a way that all the books and lessons at school never could. I would listen to my elders, and I’d protect them too.”

“It was a strange feeling, giving away my kill… I felt like I mattered in a way I had never felt before.”

“There was only one thing that I really liked about where we lived—sitting in my ninth-grade biology class… next to Nora George.”

Who This Book Is For

  • Young adult and adult readers

  • Educators, librarians, and book clubs

  • Readers who love thrillers with heart

  • Anyone seeking stories of healing, love, family, and belonging

  • Readers interested in contemporary Indigenous life and culture

About the Book

  • Genre: Young Adult / Literary Fiction / Thriller

  • Publisher: Levine Querido

  • Cover Art: Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

Anton Treuer signing copies of his Indigenous YA thriller, Where Wolves Don't Die

Connect with Anton Treuer

Buy the Book

Where Wolves Don’t Die is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

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