17 year-old Mickey Church, a Tlingit Indian didn’t see anything special about his hometown. Perched on an island in Southeast Alaska, the small town of Wrangell was shabby, wet, and isolated. Mickey spent his time acting out, lighting up, and practicing his unstudied air of casual defiance. But when Dr. Bernet, the skinny, tenor-voiced new teacher gave his first history lecture, something inside Mickey shifted. Those old stories about the Tlingit people, the early Russian settlers, and American explorers began to resonate with the rootless orphan. It’s a coming-of-age story about a boy caught between the ages. Should Mickey embrace the ways of his ancestors, or concentrate on finding his future in today’s modern world? Set against the lush backdrop of Southeast Alaska, The War Canoe has its share of fistfights, bear attacks, and belly laughs. It is the perfect read for any preteen or young teenager who is at the crossroads of adolescence – or any adult who is looking for a little common ground.
