Grampa moves in with Nathan, his mother and father, and together they try to figure out how things are going to work from here on in. Finally, Grampa introduces Nathan to a part of his heritage he knew nothing about until now: a First Nations link with a great-grandmother, now long gone, whose story of hope inspires Nathan to overcome his own worries.
Visit Susan's web site at www.susanouriou.com.
"This story could be used in discussing world history and the different ways cultures are threatened. It could also be used to look at family dynamics, and the problem of bullying."
— Resource Links
"This multilayered coming-of-age story sheds a light on how experiences are internalised and can continue to affect our behaviours for a long while afterward. Ouriou's expertly drawn cross-cultural parallels allow readers from diverse backgrounds to gain insight into the feelings and behaviours of others. Nathan and friend Max are both very relatable characters facing real-life challenges. All characters are written with dimension, including backstories that illuminate who they are and how they behave. This seemingly simple tween-novel touches on topics that include racism, illness, compassion and more.
Highly Recommended."
— CM Magazine
"Ouriou gives us the story of a boy who discovers that like the reservoir near his home, everyone has hidden depths and secrets and "no one's story is what we see on the surface." It is through hardship and challenge that Nathan discovers his own reservoir of strength and through pain that he learns compassion.
"Susan Ouriou has created a disarmingly simple book on the surface, with characters and situations that are easy to relate to. But much more than that, Nathan is a book that delves into the depths and complexities of everyday life and a young person who, despite the obstacles, learns the delicate skill of navigation and discovers , in part through the affirmation of his world's Indigenous past, the treasure of wisdom.
— Joan Crate, award-winning Indigenous writer
"Nathan is a tender coming-of-age story about a boy facing hard facts about aging and bullying. In writing that is fluid and compassionate Susan Ouriou explores the power of human relationship."
— Kim Echlin, Under the Visible Life
2017 Canadian Authors Association Exporting Alberta Award nominee
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