Forever Birchwood
Forever Birchwood
submit to the council on Monday. The sun is cresting with peaches and pinks staining the bottom of the sky. My head feels funny and my body is weak. I’m also feeling super guilty about being out all night even though it was for a very good cause. I hope Grandma slept right through.
“Okay, we should get back before the sun rises and we get busted for not being in our beds. Let’s meet up later today.” I tell them.
Ann tightens her ponytail. “Say nothing to no one until we have the plan all figured out.”
“Do you think it’s time we tell our parents though?” Penny asks. “This seems like a really big deal.”
“You might be right,” Brandi says, surprisingly agreeing with her.
“Yeah,” I say. “Let’s regroup and decide once we get some rest.”
We get on our bikes to return home. Everyone is in their own separate world as we ride down the path. I wave goodbye and pedal for Grandma’s house. The sky is glowing. There’s barely any trace of night hanging above.
I am exhausted but I’m also feeling it from within. I still can’t believe we found pictographs! Inside our mountain. A real buried treasure. What would Grandma say about this? I suddenly want to tell her everything. We need an ally. Someone who understands how important these pictographs are. I hope the pack will agree that she’s a grown-up we can trust.
I sneak in through the back window and notice the bedroom door is wide open, which means that Grandma knows I was gone. I tiptoe in to the kitchen and step back when I see Mrs. Lehtinen, Grandma’s neighbour, sitting at the table holding a cup of coffee in her hands.
“There you are, young lady. Where have you been?” She leaves her steaming mug on the table.
“Where’s my Grandma?”
“Your Grandma is in the hospital. She called an ambulance this morning to take her in”
My whole body suddenly feels numb.
Wolf, 12, and her three best friends are children of Northern Ontario who love the great outdoors and their secret hideaway called Birchwood, in the mountains. Wolf loves her Indigenous roots, thrives on nature and adores her grandma who inspires her with stories of their ancestors. She has a sense of belonging with her group of friends, despite some recent differences, and is sad that soon their paths will diverge as they leave elementary school.
When the foursome discover a housing estate is planned for their beloved mountain, they unite to save the area by recording endangered species of flora and fauna. In doing so, as trees are cut down and demolition machines roar, the girls make a miraculous historical discovery. Not knowing which adults to trust and fearful that even Wolf’s mother may be involved with the development, the girls feel determined but alone.
The simplicity of the text in this rich intergenerational novel belies the complexity and variety of the multiple themes involved. These include Indigenous connections to the environment, the impact of activism on preserving nature, living with loss and grief and the meaning of friendship and trust. These are all viewed from the perspective of young girls experiencing increasing maturity and independence, first love and the uncertainty of emotions that accompany this age.
Wolf’s narration, realistic in dialogue and emotion, is complemented by believable and rich characterization. Her relationship with her grandmother and deceased grandfather is poignant, even more so because her grandmother is seriously ill. Wolf’s relationship with her mother, though caring, involves greater conflict, even distrust caused by their differing views on their native heritage.
The author, of Indigenous descent herself, has created a believable, thought-provoking adventure that completely engrosses the reader and contains plenty of atmosphere and intrigue with a satisfying resolution. Forever Birchwood’s message about the value of history and conservation is easily absorbed in this battle between good and evil and small versus mighty. Readers will love this story of spunky girls approaching their teens who, against all odds, face down corruption.
Aileen Wortley is a retired Children’s Librarian from Toronto, Ontario.