ANCESTOR APPROVED

A groundbreaking Indigenous anthology for young people.

Readers can join the fun in this collection of 18 contemporary stories and poems about loving families from various parts of the U.S. and Canada who travel to meet, dance, sing, socialize, and honor Native traditions at an intertribal powwow. The entries tell of the personal struggles, family joy, belief systems, and stunning regalia of various nations, including the Cree, Ojibwe, Choctaw, Cherokee, Navajo, Abenaki, and Haudenosaunee, through the eyes of the young protagonists. Enrollment issues, Indian wannabes, and veterans’ histories are just a few of the serious themes addressed in these entertaining stories written by familiar and lesser-known writers alike. Senses of goodwill and humor pervade the book as well as the spirit of community, intersection, resilience, and a desire to remember the past. Whether engaging with the quiet spiritual strength displayed in “Fancy Dancer” by Monique Gray Smith or the profound point of view of Brian Young’s “Senecavajo,” the stories are full of surprises. Rebecca Roanhorse writes from a dog’s vantage point, and Dawn Quigley asks about the nature of intelligence. Many other original tales complete this anthology of modern Natives celebrating their diversity together. An especially winning feature is the glossary in which various Indigenous vocabulary words in the stories are defined.

A joyful invitation to celebrate the circle of ancestors together.