A LETTER FOR BOB

An Indigenous child’s touching tribute to Bob, the trusty family car.

“Dear Bob,” begins Rogers’ (Wichita) latest picture book, told from the perspective of a kid named Katie. “Mom and Dad told me about / the day they bought you / at the dealership / when I was a baby…. / They said that your paint sparkled in the sun, / your seats felt feather-soft, / and you had that new car smell.” What starts as a simple ode to a well-cherished sedan quickly becomes a more nuanced love letter to Native families, accompanied by emotion-driven, comic art from Nelson (Diné). Readers will find themselves riding along as the family attends the Wichita Annual Dance, speeds away from a formidable moose while on a road trip to Grand Teton, visits Aka:h (Wichita for grandparent) in her Shaconage (Smoky Mountains) home, and goes on everyday excursions to school, the library, and friends’ houses. Far from a mere piece of machinery, Bob is a treasured member of the close-knit family—“When we got into / a fender bender, / you kept us safe, / and we took care of / you then, too.” The narrative ends with a bittersweet so:ti:c?a (thank you) and goodbye as Bob is traded in for a car to better fit the growing family. For its tender vignettes of modern Indigenous life, this tale will make a glowing addition to any personal, school, or public library. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Slice-of-life Native stories told with joy and reverence.