Beginnings: The Homeward Journey of Donovan Manypenny

Summary

Raised by his grandparents on a northern Wisconsin Ojibwe reservation until their passing when he is 10 years old, Donovan Manypenny becomes a ward of the state of Wisconsin and enters the child welfare system - foster care, children's home, and adoption. The trauma he experiences as a result of losing his grandparents and way of life leads him to put his past behind him for over 43 years. Then at the age of 53, events in his life take him back to his childhood home, retracing the historical westward migration of his Ojibwe ancestors.

Heartfelt and bittersweet, and layered with meaning, Beginnings: The Homeward Journey of Donovan Manypenny will resonate with anyone who longs to make the journey home, wherever that may be, as well those who seek or have experienced cultural or spiritual awakening, and healing.

"What a beautiful coming home story woven within the traditional migration story of the Ojibwe people.... We are at a time in history when these stories need to be written and shared by ourselves to and for each other. And Peacock does this by creating a crystal clear mirror for understanding who we are and why." —Marci Rendon, author of Murder on the Red River. 

Author

Thomas Peacock has authored or co-authored many books, two of which were Minnesota Book Award winners. The Seventh Generation was a multicultural children’s book of the year (American Association of Multicultural Education). The Forever Sky received a Kirkus starred review (April 2019). He received both his master’s and doctoral degrees in educational leadership from Harvard University. He is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Anishinaabe Ojibwe and lives with his wife, Betsy, in Red Cliff, Wisconsin.

Details

• Paperback
• Honorable Mention: Northeastern Minnesota Book Award
• 173 pages
• 6" x 9" x 0.5"
• Publication date: 2018, Holy Cow Press