Thirteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.
Lori Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a member of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included.
"After Gaby leaves, Tess questions where she fits into the world and how her biracial identity affects her sense of self. At school, she is seen as "the Indian girl." Even at home on the reservation, Tess still feels like an outsider. After spending time with her grandmother, her shima sani, at sheep camp, she begins to realize there are many answers as to what makes a person who they are....A tender story set in contemporary Navajo Nation, with themes that will resonate with many readers on their own journey toward self-discovery." — Amy Zembroski, School Library Journal
Recommended Age | 10 - 13 |
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Author | Nancy Bo Flood |
Illustrator | Shonto Begay |
ISBN | 1580897029 |
Publication Date | Aug 23, 2016 |
Publisher | Charlesbridge |
Language | English |