“I penned ‘She Holds Up the Stars’ with a singular purpose: to spark a life-long 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 individual like me. Growing up as an Indigenous adolescent in this country was very challenging. My hope is that this book fills a void and resonates with young readers who also yearn for positive stories reflecting their experiences. I simply want youth to have the books and stories that I did not have and to inspire a generation of young minds”, says author, Sandra Laronde
Sandra Laronde’s debut novel, She Holds Up the Stars, is about a mesmerizing journey of a young Indigenous girl who unexpectedly bonds with a wild horse, cruelly broken by a rancher and his son. Amidst rising tensions, we witness her navigate a challenging world, revealing an inner strength that shapes her connection to home, land, and heart.
Inspired by the author’s own experiences growing up.
She Holds Up the Stars has received the coveted Kirkus Star which marks books of exceptional merit, was named as one of 2022 Best of Canadian Books for Young Adults by CBC Books, won the 2023 Horace Mann Upstander Award, and was nominated for the 2024 Manitoba Young People’s Choice Awards.
SANDRA LARONDE is from the Teme-Augama Anishinaabe (People of the Deep Water) in Temagami, Northern Ontario. An accomplished arts innovator, multi-disciplinary artist, and visionary leader, Laronde plays a pivotal role in the ongoing Indigenous cultural resurgence of Canada. Laronde’s accolades are numerous and include the 2023 Indspire Award for the Arts, the 2023 Indigenous Artist Award from the Toronto Arts Foundation, the 2023 Horace Mann Upstander Award, the 2021 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, the 2021 Order of Ontario and the 2020 Celebration of a Cultural Life Award, among other recognitions. Laronde is also the founder of Red Sky Performance, an award-winning company that leads in the creation, elevation, and evolution of contemporary Indigenous performance in Canada and worldwide.
