In our limited weekly series "In Their Own Words," we will be featuring Kara Stewart's exclusive book reviews, as well as interviews with Native creators. This week, Stewart speaks with Christine Day and Andrea L. Rogers about their realistic and historical middle grade fiction titles.

In my August 2020 article Strategies for Teaching Seven Native-Centered Books to K-12 Students, I spoke of a contemporary renaissance of recently published Native-centered books. We are now on the cusp of, if not already diving into, that long-awaited phenomenon. Thankfully, agents, editors, and publishers have become increasingly aware of the need for accurate, lived-experience-driven Native books for all kids.

I share with you here some not-to-be-missed Native chapter book, middle grade, and young adult releases from 2020 and 2021—their fully unfurled words have blossomed into leafy vines of expression of our hope, strength, and resilience. In further gift to us, each author offers their own heartfelt words about their book and their journey to bring it from seed to fruit.

Middle Grade Realistic and Historical Fiction

DAY, Christine. The Sea in Winter. Heartdrum. 2021. ISBN 9780062872043.

The author opens this beautifully written, complex novel with a direct address to the reader, describing her book as “a love letter to the young, the struggling, and the lonely. It’s a story about starting over…longing for your life to go back to normal. Feeling scared or uncertain about the future.” This is the timely story of Maisie Cannon and her Makah, Piscataway and Lower Elwha Klallam family. Maisie has badly torn her ACL, separating her from the ballet school that is her sanctuary and jeopardizing her long-planned future as a dancer. Things come to a head during a family trip at the Northwest coast when Maisie lashes out at her family in her anxiety and hopelessness, despite their closeness. This gorgeous, emotional book has deep characters and well-blended Indigenous contextual information. It addresses and normalizies seeking mental health assistance in a way that is at once poignant, realistic, and uplifting. This is a must-read for all tweens.

Photo by Jessica Wood

What is the main takeaway you would like readers to get from reading this book?

I hope that my readers will find something they're looking for in my work. And I hope that "something" will vary from person to person.

What do you wish I would ask you about your book? What would you like to say about the finished product, the creation, or the publishing process?

So often, Native creators are asked about the current state of publishing, or our seemingly autobiographical connections to our books. Personally, I would love to participate in more craft-focused discussions. I'm a writer; I want to talk about writing. 

Which Native writers of adult literature do you read? Who resonates with you and why?

Elissa Washuta (Cowlitz) is one of my favorites. Her writing is acerbic and clever and emotional, and she doesn't shy away from darker subjects. She is one of the most exciting and inventive essayists I've ever read.

ROGERS, Andrea L. Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story. Capstone/Stone Arch Bks. 2020. ISBN 9781496587145.

This book stays true to its membership in the "Girls Survive" series with its fast pace, tension, and wealth of accurate historical information. Mary, a Cherokee girl from Georgia, and her family find themselves at the mercy of white soldiers and citizens who force their removal from their beloved home of many generations. The family tries to stay together as they endure loss, suffering, and starvation on the Trail of Tears and in the internment camps where they are held for desperate lengths of time. Mary is a middle sister who finds a burgeoning maturity through a heartrending series of events. A much-needed book about this event in America’s history.

Photo by Phillip Robbins

What is the main takeaway you want readers to get after reading this book?

I want people to know that Cherokees are still here, and we are a strong, adaptable people, but we’re stronger together. The Cherokee word Gadugi defines this ideology. I want people to look at their own geographic areas and find out more about that land’s history as Indigenous Land. I want people to remember the importance of their culture, all elders, and perhaps, be moved to take steps to reclaim or ensure the survival of their own cultures and communities in whatever way they can.

What do you wish I would ask you about your book? What would you like to say about the finished product, the creation, or the publishing process?

I was grateful I got to tell this story, even though it was really difficult to trace the trail back to our homeland and read the accounts of what our Cherokee ancestors went through. Most people think of the Cherokee when they hear “Trail of Tears,” but the Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole along with other smaller tribes also faced removal. All tribes were impacted by Indian policy in some fashion. I think all those stories should be told by the impacted tribes.    

Which Native writers of adult literature do you read? Who resonates with you and why?

I read everything Stephen Graham Jones and Darcie Little Badger write. I can’t wait to read Tommy Orange’s next book. Terese Mailhot is working on a novel and I can’t wait to read that. 2020 saw some great books drop by other Native writers, including Kelli Jo Ford, Brandon Hobson, and Dennis Staples. Talented Native writers are getting some well-deserved attention. It’s nice being able to escape into all kinds of different books that have a variety of Native characters.

Kara Stewart (Sappony) is a Native Educational Equity Consultant, reading specialist, and writer. She has served many years on the Sappony Tribal Council and the North Carolina State Advisory Council on Indian Education. She was the 2020 United Tribes of North Carolina Indian Educator of the Year and has been a literacy coach and teacher in the public schools for 23 years with a focus on literacy and culturally responsive teaching about Native people. She was the 2014 Lee & Low Books New Voices Honor Award winner for her picture book manuscript.