As I Enfold You in Petals

By Richard Van Camp
Illustrated by Scott B. Henderson
Donovan Yaciuk
Nickolej Villiger
Series: The Spirit of Denendeh
Imprint: HighWater Press

Categories: Young Adult Fiction, Diversity & Multicultural, Aboriginal & Indigenous, Drugs, Alcohol, Substance Abuse, Values & Virtues
Big Ideas: Aspects of Indigenous Cultures, Spirituality and Ceremony, Storytelling and Oral Culture, Contemporary Setting, Diverse and Inclusive Representation, Identity, Social Emotional Learning, Death, Grief, and Bereavement, Social Justice, Impacts of Colonization and Colonialism
Cultures & Peoples: Dene, Tlicho, Inuit
Indigenous Languages: Dene, Tlicho, Words or Phrases

Interest Age: 12–18
Grade: 8–12
Reading Level: Lexile® Framework for Reading: HL550L
Show edition details

Paperback : 9781774920411, 72 pages, April 2023
Ebook (EPUB) : 9781774920633, 64 pages, May 2023
Ebook (PDF) : 9781774920640, 64 pages, May 2023

Read excerpt

Six weeks sober, Curtis searches for healing in the ancient cultural practices of his Tłı̨chǫ Dene grandfather. But will the Little People answer his call?

Description

Newly sober, Curtis searches for healing in the ancient cultural practices of his Tłıcho Dene grandfather. But will the Little People answer his call?

Curtis has returned to Fort Smith, six weeks sober. He doesn’t have any sober friends, his mom’s still drinking, and his best friend (and secret crush) Lacey probably is too. Still, he’s determined to abstain from alcohol and help his people. Along the way, he might just be able to help himself.

Louis, Curtis’s late grandfather, was a healer. Legend has it, Louis made a deal with the Little People that gave him the power to heal. No one has heard from the Little People since Louis’s death, but his cabin may hold the key for them to return. There’s only one problem: Benny the Bank stands in the way.

An infamous bootlegger, Benny has profited off Fort Smith’s pain for decades. After being critically wounded in an attempt on his life, Benny knows he doesn’t have much time before the poison in his blood takes him. He also happens to own Louis’s cabin.

Can Curtis convince Benny to return the home that once belonged to Louis? Will the Little People answer Curtis’s call? And can Benny find a way to make amends and leave a legacy he can be proud of?

A stunning, fast-paced graphic novel, As I Enfold You in Petals will keep readers riveted until the last page.

Awards

Nominated, YALSA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2023
Nominated, <I>Nominated for</I> YALSA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2023
Nominated, Sequential Magazine Awards 2023

Reviews

A glimmer of light and a welcome perspective for a culture growing beyond its challenges. As I Enfold You in Petals brings a strength of spirit, a deep connection to the past and a belief in a better tomorrow for First Nations people.
Troy Little, Eisner-nominated creator Angora Napkin.

Richard Van Camp has done it again! Van Camp brings the spiritual into our modern world in this gripping tale of redemption, overcoming adversity, and finding one's path along the way. An amazing story with equally rich and striking visuals.
Brandon Mitchell, author of Giju's Gift

Among CBC Books 20 Canadian Comics to Check Out in the First Half of 2023
CBC Books

Among Pat St. Germain's Spring-fresh titles diverse and dazzling collection.
Montreal Gazette

It is a delight to have such a positive depiction of Dene spirituality and the people in this superb story of hope, strength of spirit, and redemption. The story celebrates family connections, memories, and stories through the text and the stunningly illustrated and colored illustrations.
No Flying No Tights blog

Once again, Van Camp affectingly melds his Tłı̨chǫ Dene heritage—and his Fort Smith hometown—with urgent, contemporary storytelling, memorably enlivened by Henderson’s meticulous, realistic art and vibrantly colored by Yaciuk.
Booklist

I loved [A Blanket of Butterflies] so much and the second book is just as good.
49th Kids, Top Grade CanLit for the Classroom

Bringing in everything from traditional cooking to magical medicine power, Van Camp’s graphic novel celebrates cultural resiliency while never shying away from the difficulty faced by his characters.
Vancouver Sun

Among 49th Kids's New Books for Indigenous History Month list
49th Shelf