Book Review: Finders Keepers

Book: Finders Keepers by Andrea Spalding

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: February 21, 2017

Description:

It all started with an ancient arrowhead in an Alberta field.

While walking through a field, Danny finds an 8,000-year-old arrowhead. After he shows his friend Joshua, who lives on the Piikani reserve at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, the two go on buffalo hunts, powwows, archaeological digs, and break in to the local museum. Grappling with dyslexia and unsure of his place in the world, Danny follows the arrowhead into a distant past and back again as he learns about himself and the people who came before him.



Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Review:

This was originally published in 1995 but since I didn't read that edition I don't know if there are any changes besides a new cover and a reference to Justin Bieber.

Finder Keepers is set in Alberta, Canada and follows 10 years old Danny Budzynski who was having a difficult time in 5th grade and school in general. He has a learning disability that no one knows about and it makes it extremely difficult for him. His grades are not good, he's teased and laughed at by other students while the adults from his parents to his teacher and principal think he's not trying hard enough or is just lazy.

But he was trying and he knew the information but things become wonky when gets confused or freezes up. He also has problems when it comes to spelling, writing and math. He's worried about an upcoming school project and how his writing problems may effect his grade. It's so hard for him to explain all of this but thankfully after a poor decision to run away from school one day, his mother was able to get him to explain as best he could how hard it was for him at school. An old friend of hers maybe able to help.

Something else good came out of him running away, he met a new friend named Joshua Brokenhorn, a First Nation boy who lives on the Piikani reservation. The two quickly became friends and Danny found himself immersed in a wonderful experience of seeing a gathering of bald eagles and meeting Joshua's grandfather who was an elder. But something he never expected was finding an old arrowhead (or a lance point as he later finds out) on his way home, he plans to use the artifact in his school project.

Over time he starts to wonder if it is right for him to keep an 8,000 years old lance point especially once he finishes his school project. From getting to know more about many of the First Nation customs and traditions, he comes to realize that some things are sacred and should not be seen such as his favorite photo of the Sundance in the museum at Fort Macleod. The Piikani feel that the Sundance is something that should not be photographed let alone a picture displayed in a museum.

Throughout the story, Danny has a very vivid imagination and he images a variety of things from who may have carved the lance point to reasons why he no longer has to go to school. He sort of uses his imagination as a way to escape many of his problems or when he's bored. Meanwhile, Joshua is more outgoing and level headed and you can tell he's unfortunately use to dealing with racism and prejudice directed towards him being First Nation.

I like how the author showed the First Nation people and culture throughout the book. She presented everything in a respectful way while giving the reader something to think about in regards to something being sacred as well as respecting someone else's culture.

This was a quick and easy read with a very interesting and sometimes rather humorous story. I like how Danny started to change over the course of the story, from getting help with his learning disability to finally being understood about his problems, he was starting to gain confidence and was able to express himself better. I also like the friendship between Danny and Joshua, it felt genuine and even minor hiccups didn't hinder it. This is a good story and readers of all ages should be able to find something interesting about it.