Acclaimed author Dawn Quigley's (Ojibwe) first middle grade fiction is a powerful, lyrical novel in verse about Ariel (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe) and Tomah (Fort Peck Assiniboine), who live in a large urban Native housing project. Ariel is dealing with a beloved aunt who is missing, and Tomah is coping with difficulty reading--but they both find beauty and strength in their intertribal community.
Ariel and Tomah have lived in their city's Intertribal Housing Complex all their lives. But for both of them, this Dagwaagin (Autumn) season is different than any before.
From his bench outside the front door of his building, Tomah watches his community move around him. He is better at making people laugh than he is at schoolwork, but often it feels like his neighbor Ariel is the only one who really sees him, even in her sadness.
Ariel has always danced ballet because of her auntie Bineshiinh and loves the way it makes her feet hover above the ground like a bird. But ever since Auntie went missing, Ariel's dancing doesn't feel like flying.
As the seasons change, and the cold of winter gives way to spring's promise, Ariel and Tomah begin to change too, learning to share the rhythms and stories they carry within themselves.
With lyrical verse and powerful emotion, Dawn Quigley tells the story of urban Native kids who find strength in connection with those who came before--and in the hope that lets them take flight.
About the Author :
Dawn Quigley, PhD and citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, North Dakota, is an educator and former Indian Education program director. She loves to read, write, and sometimes cook healthy. Find her online at www.dawnquigley.com.
Darrell Dennis is a native Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter and radio personality from the Secwepemc Nation in the interior of British Columbia. In addition to acting and comedy, Darrell is a writer whose works have been published by Playwrights Canada Press and Douglas & McIntyre Publishing. His short stories have been published in periodicals across Canada and the U.S. His first play, Trickster of Third Avenue East, was produced by Native Earth Performing Arts, which twice named Darrell their "Writer-in- Residence." His semi-autobiographical one-man play, Tales of an Urban Indian, in which he explored themes of growing up as an indigenous First Nations Native American, was nominated for two Dora Awards and has been produced for multiple tours across Canada and the United States
Jennifer Bobiwash is a First Nations theater artist, film and television actress and producer, and audiobook narrator.
Review :
"Jennifer Bobiwash and Darrell Dennis deliver powerful performances as Ariel and Tomah, Native American teenagers...Compassionate narrations convey cultural identity, social issues, and coming-of-age themes that may inspire thoughtful conversations among teens and adults alike. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile"
