Two young cousins, Will and Tom, both want to be trackers like their uncle in this engaging spooky story from Anishinaabe author Jan Bourdeau Waboose. Asking their uncle to tell them about the Windigo - the Wandering Night Spirit of Winter - the boys are transfixed, still afraid as they head off to bed. When they hear a noise outside their window late at night, they are too frightened to investigate, but the next day they set out to track the footprints they find leading into the nearby woods. Hearing an inhuman call, the two young trackers must conquer their fear and investigate, finding a creature, not of terror, but in need of help...

The Spirit Trackers is the second picture-book I have read from Waboose (the first being her SkySisters), and I found it quite enjoyable. Although not a retelling of a traditional folktale about the Windigo, I did add my folklore tags, given that the original story here centers around a belief in this spirit, and the folk traditions surrounding that belief. The story itself is engrossing, sure to please young children who enjoy ghost stories and other frightening fare, and the artwork, done by François Thisdale, is appealing. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books with a Native American/First Nations cultural background, for stories about the Windigo, or for tales featuring young people working through their fears. ( )