Lost at Windy River A true story of survival

While checking the traplines with her brothers, 13-year-old Ilse Schweder is caught in a storm, leaving her alone, 80 miles from home, in the barren lands of the tundra. A member of the Cree Nation, Ilse has grown up learning how to live and survive in the far north. But after losing her supplies and being forced to release her sled dogs, things quickly turn from bad to worse, as hunger and frostbite make it almost impossible for her to continue her journey. Written by Ilse's granddaughter, the author mixes folklore, cultural notes, and history into this biography that reads like an adventure story. The illustrations do a good job of showing the clothes worn, the food eaten, how Ilse's family camped in the snow, and other details that shine a light on a way of life few readers today will have experienced. Ilse's adventure was fictionalized by Farley Mowat in his book People of the Deer; it's good to finally have her story reclaimed and retold by her family.

Gr 3--7--This adventurous graphic novel follows the real-life story of Ilse Schweder, a young girl from Cree Nation whose story of survival inspired famous Canadian author Farley Mowat's book, No Man's River. In 1944, Ilse had to rely on her traditional Indigenous knowledge to survive being lost and alone on the Artic tundra. Schweder and her family are checking traplines near their home in Windy River Trading Post (modern-day Nunavut) when a sudden, intense snowstorm separates her from the rest of her family, and she is forced to survive on her own for several days. Colorful illustrations in classic comic-book style help readers explore the challenging landscape. Rathgeber, who is Schweder's granddaughter, and Pete provide cut-outs and sidebars with extra explanations and images of Artic and Indigenous culture, clothes, and environment. VERDICT An excellent choice for a book report and a good addition to a children's nonfiction collection.--Meaghan Nichols