SHE HOLDS UP THE STARS
SHE HOLDS UP THE STARS
Award-winning novel and Dora Award-winning stage production by Sandra Laronde
In 2026, Sandra made her playwriting debut with the world premiere of She Holds Up the Stars at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall. She received two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Direction, while the production received eight Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations—the most of any production in Toronto that year.
Originally published by Annick Press, the novel follows a young Indigenous girl searching for her mother's truth. Through an unexpected bond with a spirited horse, she finds courage and resilience in a world shaped by beauty and cruelty, and the deep pull of land, family, and belonging.
Inspired by Laronde's own experiences growing up, the story has resonated with readers across Canada and was later reimagined by the author as a large-scale theatrical production that brings together contemporary Indigenous performance, life-sized puppetry, and live orchestral music.
"I penned She Holds Up the Stars with a singular purpose: to spark a lifelong love affair with stories. I craved the very stories that I now write—ones that mirrored my cultural roots, love of land, and the journey of a sensitive young person. My hope is that this story fills a void and resonates with young readers who yearn for positive stories. I simply want youth to have the stories that I did not have and to inspire a generation of young minds."
— Sandra Laronde
TESTIMONIALS
“This heartfelt story of self-discovery and personal strength is told in language filled with evocative imagery and Anishinaabemowin sprinkled throughout. Readers will find themselves rooting for Misko in a situation where so much seems stacked against her.”
– Kirkus Star Review [The Kirkus Star marks books of exceptional merit]. Read full review.
“Sandra Laronde’s highly anticipated debut novel, She Holds Up the Stars, is an instant classic. I love this book.”
- Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed, Little You, and When We Play Our Drums, They Sing!
“She Holds Up the Stars is about an endearing and compelling character navigating her many challenges with tremendous heart. This wonderful novel will introduce young readers to the complexities of modern indigeneity and resilience.”
– Eden Robinson, author of Monkey Beach and Son of a Trickster.
“Sandra Laronde has deftly woven so much into this inspiring journey to reconnect to family, history, homeland, and heart.”
– Duncan McCue, host of CBC Radio & CBC Podcasts
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Book Recognition
- Kirkus Star
- CBC Books Best Canadian Books for Young Adults
- Horace Mann Upstander Award
- CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
- Manitoba Young People's Choice Award nomination
Stage Adaptation Recognition
- 8 Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations
- Outstanding Production
- Outstanding New Play
- Outstanding Direction
- Outstanding Performance by an Individual
- Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
- Outstanding Design
ABOUT SANDRA LARONDE
Sandra Laronde is from the Teme-Augama Anishinaabe (People of the Deep Water) in Temagami, Northern Ontario. An award-winning author, director, choreographer, and arts leader, she is the founder of Red Sky Performance, one of Canada's leading Indigenous performance companies.
Laronde is the recipient of the 2025 Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in Dance, the 2023 Indspire Award for the Arts, the 2023 Indigenous Artist Award from the Toronto Arts Foundation, the 2021 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, and the Order of Ontario.
Her debut novel, She Holds Up the Stars, has received national acclaim and was later adapted by Laronde into a Dora Award-nominated stage production featuring theatre, life-sized puppetry, and live orchestral music.