On a street in Quebec in 1703, a girl sees a Pawnee slave branded as punishment for running away. Next day she returns and buys the boy – to set him free. So Trottier sets up the star-crossed friendship of Cécile and Lesharo, in a society in which the only possible relationship between white and native is one of exploitation: the sole thing the colonists desire from natives is their co-operation in giving up their lands.

Lesharo travels west with Cécile and her father to Fort Detroit. Learning there that his family are all dead, he sees no reason to leave the side of the young woman who saved his life. The scandalized wife of the fort commander undertakes to “civilize” Cécile with fine clothes and marry her off to a charming lieutenant.

Trottier, who lives in Port Stanley, Ontario, is a historical re-enactor as well as a writer of children’s books, and Sister to the Wolf gains strength from her experience in both areas. She bases her book partly on her own family history. The story draws us in quickly, the narrative unfolds smoothly, and period details are accurate without being intrusive. Trottier is also fairly even-handed in her treatment of culture, religion, and character. Priests may be venal or heroic, and one suave soldier turns out to be a nice guy with a tragic past. While there’s plenty to hold the interest of good younger readers, the issues raised should engage older, more sophisticated readers as well.