Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Maggie Lou's grandpa doesn't call her Firefox for nothing. She's always finding ways to make life more interesting — even if this means getting into big trouble. 

When her grandfather Moshôm finally agrees to teach her how to box, she decides that the rank odors, endless drills and teasing won't stop her from wearing a tutu to the gym. Joining her father's construction crew uncovers a surprising talent — besides learning how to use a broom — and a great source of scrap wood to build a canine hotel for her dogs. And when she turns thirteen, she figures out an ingenious way to make some smokin' good camouflage to wear on her first deer hunt, where she joins a long family tradition. 

Through it all she is surrounded by her big extended gumbo soup of a family, pestered by annoying younger siblings, and gently guided by her strong female relatives – her mother, her kohkom and her ultra-cool cousin Jayda. "Keep taking up space," Maggie's mother says. "You're only making room for the girls behind you." 

A heroine for today, Maggie Lou discovers that with hard work and perseverance she can gain valuable new skills, without losing one iota of her irrepressible spirit.


Key Text Features

author's note

biographical note

chapters

dialogue

epigraph

illustrations

  • Creators

  • Series

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      August 15, 2023
      Introduces a delightful M�tis family that many Indigenous people will relate to, especially through their joking, and that all readers will love getting to know. Twelve-year-old Maggie Lou's brilliant ideas get her (and sometimes her siblings) into mischief and inspire her nickname, Firefox. After seeing Maggie Lou play fighting outside, Moshôm, her grandfather, offers to teach her how to box. However, boxing is not as exhilarating at first as she imagined it to be. She needs to "know how to listen and follow directions" and is put to work mopping the ring. She also gets picked on by some sexist boys and finds the drills boring. But she follows Moshôm's teachings--and has the upper hand when it finally comes time to step in the ring. Over summer vacation, Maggie Lou keeps busy building things from her notebook labeled "Plans to Dominate the World," and she gets Dad to allow her to help out with his construction crew. Surrounded by the women in her family, Maggie Lou learns how to shoot her mom's Winchester rifle in preparation for hunting season. After an unsuccessful hunt with her uncle and older brother, all three become the center of their family's teasing. M�tis author Bowes weaves cultural elements, including Northern Michif words, into this charming story that skillfully captures sweetly hilarious and loving everyday moments. Black-and-white illustrations enhance the text. An amusing story showcasing M�tis humor at its finest. (author's note, glossary) (Fiction. 9-13)

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • The Horn Book

      November 1, 2023
      Maggie Lou, full of "pee and vinegar" according to her grandfather, always gets into scrapes (some of which require stitches). The book comprises three episodic stories, broken up into chapters, about Maggie Lou's adventures in boxing, house construction, and hunting; per the appended author's note, Bowes (Metis) used her own experiences "growing up as a young girl in a colorful M�tis family in Saskatchewan" as inspiration. Each tale focuses on her tenacity in learning new skills (even boring ones like boxing drills and gym cleaning) before the fun stuff happens. The stories are all action and humor, and if there is little character development, it's because Maggie Lou already has a confidence that's reinforced by her family members, who tell her, "If my mind believes it can happen, my body will believe it, too." This book will appeal to middle-grade readers who like fast-paced, lighthearted stories. Maggie Lou's connection to her immediate and extended family, her awareness of her Native roots and the Northern Michif language (glossary included), and her interests, which are not constrained by gender norms, give these tales a distinctive and refreshing flavor. Lara K. Aase

      (Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading