Willing McManis, Charlene, with Traci Sorell. Indian No More. Tu Books, 2019. 211 pages. $12.48, ISBN 978-1620148396.
What would happen if the culture and identity you’ve known and cherished your whole life is stripped away in a fraction of a second? Follow along with Regina and her family as their Umpqua tribe is legally terminated. The family moves from their reservation in Oregon to the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and learn just what it means to be a minority in the 1950’s in America. Though Regina is a fictional character, she and the rest of her family are based on the life and family of the author, Charlene Willing McManis. Though the experience was lived by Willing McManis, the story still pulls from actual American history. From the signing of the Wester Oregon Indian Termination Act by President Eisenhower in 1954 to the injustices of society, Willing McManis and Sorell highlight just how difficult it was to be anything other than white during that time.
McManis and Sorell do exceptionally well portraying the thoughts and lived experiences of an 8-year-old growing up in this moment of history. Everything feels incredibly authentic and real, while also being appropriate for middle grade readers. There may be questions or hard conversations that need to be had between adults and readers, but this book allows for that exploration in a safe way. Content-wise, the material might seem serious for children readers, but with the main point of view being from a child, it helps other children grasp and understand the concept and feelings portrayed. The formatting of the book is easy to follow, with chapters being not too short or too long, and with decoration around the pages where Chich (Regina’s grandmother) shares stories from her own childhood or Native folktales. In the back of the book, photographs and stories from Willing McManis’s childhood are shown, allowing readers to really understand how much Regina’s story relates to Willing McManis’s story.
Sumner, Jamie. Roll With It. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2019. 256 pages. $7.99, ISBN 978-1534442559.
There are times when we just feel like we don’t belong. Roll With It by Jamie Sumner highlights how that is the case for one particular girl, Ellie. Ellie has Cerebral Palsy, which leaves her confined to a wheelchair. The story follows her through a moment in her life when things are increasingly difficult – moving to a new place, making new friends, and starting over with her family. Ellie is strong-willed and incredibly resilient, but like all kids, she can also be stubborn and judgmental of others. The overall setting of Roll With It is detailed and a vital part of the story. Learning how to navigate a trailer park in a wheelchair, being judged for the location of where one lives, and learning that sometimes what others think really doesn’t matter are all main parts of the setting and overall plot of this book. Sumner uses a conversational approach to her work and there is a nice combination of dialogue and narration through the view of Ellie. Ellie isn’t portrayed as a victim or as someone less than simply because she has a disability. She is well rounded and isn’t solely defined by her use of a wheelchair or having Cerebral Palsy. Overall, Roll With It avoids tokenism, romanticism, and stereotypes while encouraging empathy, accessibility and inclusion. Readers are able to see all parts of Ellie’s life and root for her overall success. The story isn’t predictable and full of cliches, but rather unexpected and hopeful.
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