I really loved this book. I'm such an emotional reader and I just couldn't put this book down. This middle grade book demonstrates how even at a young age, you can overcome your fears and find the truth, even if it will be hard to hear. ( )

CW: Forcible removal of babies from supposedly unfit American Indian mothers, grief over loss of loved ones

Well that was another exceptionally interesting middle school novel!

I never cease to be horrified at the appalling treatment of Indigenous peoples. I wasn't aware of some of the discriminatory policies covered in this novel ( I can't specifically mention them because they are spoilers). The other friendship drama parts of the story were very middle school and the target audience will relate well to these, however, in my opinion they did dilute the more important story. A good novel for middle schoolers exploring themes of injustice and identity. ( )

Holy cow, I did not see that coming.

I mean, I was excited to read a book about a Native child in Seattle. More excited when I found that it's a debut novel from a Upper Skagit author, and that it's talking about local tribes. Even more excited when it's a contemporary heroine, and the story confronts microaggressions heads-on. It's a great book -- would be a great book if that was all. But that's not all. This tells a history that I had no idea existed. This tells a point of view that pulls every part of the book together, and delivers that experience powerfully.

Yep, I'm being vague. Go read it. And then join me in waiting for Christine Day's next books to come out. An author to watch and appreciate. ( )

Diverse Literature
2019

I really enjoyed this book. I even took a picture of a passage and shared it to my Instagram. In it, we meet Edie - a young girl who is trying to navigate through young friendships, self-identity, family secrets, and growing up in general. When looking for Popsicle molds in her attic with friends, she comes across a box with letters, pictures, and a journal she has never seen. Oddly, the woman in the picture looks like her - her friends think so too. She considers telling her parents about the box, but one of her friends convince her to keep the discovery to herself. Edie tries to discreetly ask her parents questions about their past and where she got her name, but they are not forthcoming. As she tries to come to terms with the fact that her parents may be lying to her about their heritage - she also finds that one of her best friends has befriended the girl who has bullied all through their school years. Edie must decide if it's time to disconnect from one of her best friends. At the same time, will she learn about where she comes from and how she got her name. If she finds out, will she be able to handle it?

This selection hits diversity in a few ways. Edie is half white and half Native American. She comes from a mixed ethnic background. Her mom was adopted into a white family. So both the themes of adoption and being Native American are topics of diversity. The themes of both are heavy throughout the story. We learn that Edie's mom was actually taken from her birth mother against her consent prior to the Congressional Act to protect Native American children from being taken from their families against their will. As well, the hints of who are family can become (the ties with friendship, her mother's brother - who was born to her birth parents) and how we are connected to our past and how that propels us to our future are very prominent in this book.

This is a middle grade book - about 300 pages long - short chapters, advanced vocabulary, but still a quick read. I can't wait to recommend this book at the library. For readers who enjoy lasting friendships, overcoming barriers, and navigating life as a tween. A special nod to the fact that the author's own mother had a similar upbringing to Edie's mom. There are also links in the Author's Note section about how to find more information about some of the true events that are mentioned in the book. ( )

So this book (audiobook) is amazing. It is a great middle school novel that touches upon friends drifting apart, the awkwardness of braces, and most importantly it tackles topics related to identity (the dreaded and inappropriate question of "What are you?" Where are your people from?") culture and some historic moments of how indigenous people have been treated by the government within the last 50 years. It was heart-wrenching and a great way to introduce middle schoolers to the notions of microaggressions, bullying based on race, the Adoption Era vs. post-Indian Child Welfare Act, and much more. The protagonist deals and copes with many changes over the course of a week (July 4 through the 12ish). She loves to draw if that is of interest to any potential readers.

As a white cis female woman, I do not know what any of the sentiments expressed in this book "feel" like as I do not or have experienced them - however, I will say this book in a very gentle and profound way improved my understanding of history, hardships, and emotional intelligence on the manner. I can say that I will recommend this book highly to anyone interested and if I have children - it will be a required read during their middle school years. ( )