Creeboy

Gr 9 Up–Sixteen-year-old Josh lives at home with his mom, fierce sister Jade, and younger siblings. He prefers to be called Creeboy, the name he uses with the Warriors, an Indigenous gang headed by his incarcerated father and now run by his older brother, Darion, who goes by Razor. All of them are committed to their traditions, performing in dance competitions at powwows. Mom implores Josh to stay away from the Warriors, having already lost her husband and oldest child to gang life, but he refuses. After their house is burned to the ground in an apparent attack by the rival Rebels gang, she forces him out, leading him to move into the Warriors’ house, a scene of constant fighting, smoking, and blaring music. One night, after Creeboy and Razor are ambushed by Rebels, Razor is shot. The story closes with a glimmer of hope as the family takes part in a sweat lodge ceremony with a spiritual elder. Wouters, identified in an author biography as Métis, includes much Cree vocabulary, though words are adequately explained in context. The book is written at a third grade reading level.