A Constellation of Minor Bears

Graduating from high school calls for a celebration. Why not mark the occasion by taking on the 4,265 kilometres of the Pacific Crest Trail? Molly, her brother Hank, and his best friend Tray have planned to do exactly that. What could possibly go wrong? Eventually Molly and Tray head west from their home in Edmonton, Alberta, to do the hike despite some serious misgivings. Because Hank was injured in a climbing accident and now suffers from a traumatic brain injury, his involvement is in question.

Molly is 17 and is one of the three narrators of this coming-of-age story. This white/Métis teen thought she had her life all planned out, but, during the story, she has second thoughts about her future. She is strong and smart and cares about those around her. But she also deals with a lot of anger and guilt over her brother’s accident. Is Tray to blame for faulty equipment? Would things have been different if Molly had been there that day? Molly puts herself under a great deal of tension, unable to forgive Tray for what happened while also recognizing he is one of her best friends and understands her better than many other people do.

Tray, the good friend of both Molly and Hank, is another narrator. He is a young Métis man who chose to give up hockey and a potential NHL career to devote his life to music and storytelling and to stay close to his Edmonton friends. Tray has loved Molly for years, but, for a variety of reasons which come to light in the novel, their relationship has never progressed beyond a ‘wannabe’ romance.

Molly’s brother, Hank, is the other narrator of the novel. His sections are short, representing what he posts online about his life and his emotions. Most of his interactions are via social media as he navigates his way through the physical, mental and emotional minefield that his life has become since the accident.

Author Jen Ferguson touches on many important themes in her novel. She has characters who are Indigenous and characters who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. As well, she confronts issues of how society misunderstands and mistreats those with disabilities as well as those who are overweight. A minor character, Brynn, fits into this second group, and readers are given a vivid picture of the harassment and abuse she has faced, even within her own family. These themes are all timely and important, but, while the author mentions them, it would have been more interesting had she dealt with them in more depth.

The teens in the book are in the midst of finding themselves and deciding where their futures lie. There are many conversations about these topics, to the point where the novel becomes slow-moving in places. Arguments and teen angst and ‘philosophizing’ can only satisfy readers for a time before the circles of thoughts and emotions become repetitive.

According to the Internet, the bear “symbolizes strength, family, courage, and health. Because Bear is considered so closely related to humans, it’s seen as a friend who can offer reassurance during lonely periods of life.” A Constellation of Minor Bears deals with a group of young adults, perhaps Ursa Minor teens rather than the Ursa Major adults they will later become.

It is worth noting that the book is published by Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of Harper Collins. Their website features several books, from picture books for small children to young adult novels such as A Constellation of Minor Bears. For those who enjoy this novel, there are many more books about Native people from which to choose.