Description
The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel is the newest Drew Hayden Taylor book. This time the Ojibwe playwright tackles the young adult novel and provides a twist by creating characters and a storyline that is part vampire tale as well as a coming of age novel. Teenager Tiffany Hunter is a disgruntled high school student who lives with her dysfunctional family on a small Ojibwe reserve. Otter Lake is her home and living at her house are her father and his mother. Grandmother is caring and wise and holds the family together after Tiffany's mother left her family for another man. Both father and daughter are grieving in their own way and into this mix a mysterious Ojibwe man who claims he is from Europe arrives looking for a guest room. Pierre L'Errant has wandered for generations far from his home village that he last saw when he was an adventurous youth who long ago joined a fur-laden canoe of traders. Over the years Pierre has lived several lifetimes and now returns to his homeland on a special quest. Living in the Hunter basement because of his odd hours, Pierre searches the woods around the reserve every nighttime. Meanwhile Tiffany is having serious issues with her white boyfriend as well as her father. Together the teen and the mysterious man from Europe spend an eventful night by the lake as each grapple with enormous, life-changing issues. Taylor has created a Gothic thriller with an Ojibwe twist that draws on themes of redemption, traditional values, dealing with prejudice, and spiritual growth. A great read. This title is also available in hardcover. This book is selected as a recommended title in the 2009 First Nations Libraries Community Reads program. Reading Level: 5.3; ATOS Reading Level: 5.3. Novel Study Guide: http://www.annickpress.com/forteachers/Night%20Wanderer%20Lesson%20Plan.pdf