Ancestor Approved Intertribal Stories for Kids
$9.99 USD
paperback
Featuring the voices of new and veteran Native writers, edited by award-winning and bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith and published by the Heartdrum imprint, this collection of intersecting stories set at a powwow bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride. Now in paperback!
Native families from Nations across the continent gather at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In a high school gym full of color and song, people dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. Young protagonists will meet relatives from faraway, shadowy spirits, and sometimes one another (plus one scrappy rez dog).
They are the heroes of their own stories.
Featuring stories and poems by: Joseph Bruchac, Art Coulson, Christine Day, Eric Gansworth, Carole Lindstrom, Dawn Quigley, Rebecca Roanhorse, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Kim Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Monique Gray Smith, Traci Sorell, Tim Tingle, Erika T. Wurth, and Brian Young.
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the bestselling, acclaimed author of books for all ages, including Rain Is Not My Indian Name, Indian Shoes, Jingle Dancer, Sisters of the Neversea, and Hearts Unbroken, which won the American Indian Library Association’s Youth Literature Award; she is also the anthologist of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids. She was named a NSK Neustadt Laureate, which honors outstanding achievement in the world of children’s and young adult literature. Cynthia is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and serves as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Endowed Chair on the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Austin, Texas
"This uplifting assembly affirms the vitality of Indigenous life today and offers accessible situations and characters to all young readers." -Shelf Awareness "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... A joyful invitation to celebrate the circle of ancestors together." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"With exceptionally strong writing throughout, and appended with glossary, author notes, and acknowledgements, this makes an appealing choice for those just learning about contemporary Indigenous life as well as readers well versed with the powwow circuit." -Booklist (starred review)
"A wonderful introduction to the included authors’ work and a persuasive encouragement to seek out more Indigenous stories." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A thoughtful and sometimes funny celebration of a celebration, and whether kids are veteran powwow-goers or new to the experience, they’ll long for the convivial warmth of the festivities." -Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
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