A bold Indigenous heroine steps into the ring in Maggie Lou, Firefox, a funny, upbeat children's fiction debut from Métis author Arnolda Dufour Bowes, illustrated by Karlene Harvey (Every Child Matters).
Twelve-year-old Métis girl Maggie Lou has no shortage of spirit, which leads to Moshôm, her grandfather, nicknaming her "Firefox." Her ambition, zest for life, and humor propel Maggie Lou through new adventures in three stories. In "Boxer in a Tutu," Moshôm remarks, "That girl's got too much fire for her own good," then offers Maggie Lou boxing lessons after exuberant attempts at boxing and WWE-style wrestling with her siblings lead to mild property damage. The second story, "A Girl and Her Hammer," sees Maggie Lou again trying on a traditionally male activity as she joins her father's construction crew to learn the skills needed to build a three-level dog mansion. She explores her family's hunting tradition in the final story, "Prairiewalker, Sister of Bushwalker," in which her uncle and older brother take her on her first deer hunt, and Maggie Lou runs afoul of a moose.
Maggie Lou approaches life with a can-do attitude, confidence, and a helping of sass. Some acquaintances call her bossy and stubborn, but her adult relatives support her strength. Harvey's black-and-white line art of Maggie Lou mid-adventure adds charm to each story. Bowes uses Métis words and incorporates traditional beliefs into these humorous tales that should be enjoyed by middle-grade readers who appreciate slice-of-life stories. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth experience manager, Dayton Metro Library