Ginger Reno

Really well done book -- conveys the fear and loss of having a missing parent with the need to keep going, and the focus of the book is more about Wren's quest to find an animal abuser in her town and her new friendship with classmate Brantley. I love how the story also confronts conflicting views of the police. Wren's father is a cop, so she has positive associations, but she's also deeply frustrated that he doesn't share his knowledge with her. Her Cherokee grandmother, on the other hand, show more is a stalwart fixture in her life -- full of humor and excellent at caregiving for both Wren and her father. It's just really deft in the narrative. That said, this is a pretty big set of topics -- Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, animal abuse, child abuse. The characters are great. The denouement is pretty scary. There's a lot to think about here. show less

story of persistence and family love emphasizing respect for animals, elders, and cultural customs.

Twelve-year-old Wren, who’s Cherokee and white, has exceptional tracking skills. Her family seems to have a knack for detective work; her dad’s the town’s police chief, after all. Even though her mom vanished over five years ago, Wren remains determined to find her. But her mom is just one of the many Indigenous women in Oklahoma who have gone missing, and Wren feels pain and frustration show more that no one is doing more about this tragedy. Wren follows her maternal grandmother Elisi’s advice to use her “finder feelings” to reunite missing pets with their owners. During a school project, she and class partner Brantley uncover an animal mystery and work together to find the criminal. Relying on her Wolf Clan knowledge, Wren recognizes her responsibility to protect animals, herself, and others. Debut author Reno (Cherokee) offers readers a powerful story that explores heart-wrenching themes, including Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls, animal torture, child abuse, and bullying. Informative backmatter expands on the epidemic of MMIWG and the meaning of the red handprint symbol, as well as Cherokee history in the book’s setting of Fort Gibson. Elisi is a source of guidance, humor, and comfort to Wren. After a slower start, the mystery unfolds, and once Wren is in pursuit of the culprit (with help from Brantley), the story takes off and will grip readers.

A dramatic and captivating call for attention. (author’s note) (Fiction. 10-14)

-Kirkus Review show less

A Cherokee girl searches for her missing mother, and unravels a mystery of animal disappearances in her small town. Wren has a gift of finding lost things, and hopes to use it to solve the disappearance of her own mother. In the meantime, she uses her gift to help neighbors find lost pets. She stumbles upon animals that have been tortured and killed and works with a new friend to solve the mystery. She struggles with being unable to find any information related to her own mother's show more disappearance, and her father's reluctance to share information related to the search. This book has themes of both animal and child abuse and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and would be more appropriate for middle school readers, especially those who appreciate mysteries. This book deals with heavy themes in an honest and age appropriate way. Find Her would be an excellent addition to middle school libraries. show less