The Outside Circle

Gr 10 Up—Pete, an aboriginal teen from Canada, has had a hard life. His mother is a junkie, and his mother's boyfriend is abusive. Pete's girlfriend has just told him she's pregnant, and like his father before him, Pete abandons her and rejects his unborn child. Pete's part of a gang that takes advantage of his rage against the world: he's the muscle who makes sure customers pay their debts. In a confrontation with his mother's boyfriend, Pete lashes out, killing the man. He's arrested and sent to prison, where racial conflict still drives his life. Meanwhile, Pete's little brother is at the mercy of a group home where he faces his own challenges, and life in a gang appears to be the only way to survive. After an altercation in prison, Pete is offered an opportunity to be a part of an intensive historical-trauma rehabilitation program called In Search of Your Warrior. In this program, Pete has the opportunity to face his past and the wrongs done to his ancestors in order to heal and find his path. The artwork in this book adeptly conveys the contrast between wearing a mask of rage and finding one's true path. The illustrations are interspersed with historical details that explain the trauma to the aboriginal people in Canada, while the story outlines a pathway to healing. The authentic, rage-filled language is edited out with symbols, making it more accessible to slightly younger readers, but the emotionally challenging narrative is more appropriate for older readers.