The realm of Indigenous fiction is full of unsung authors who are long overdue for their time in the sun. When it comes to young adult literature, their words are especially poignant, celebrating the triumphs of Native cultures and also granting Indigenous teens a space to understand and express their darker emotions. In this week’s edition of Three to Read Teen, we’re recommending brilliant YA novels from Indigenous authors. With a blend of modern and fantastical fiction, this list is sure to have the perfect book for you.
Trigger Warning: The books in this article contain heavier topics such as child abuse and mental health issues. Please read all trigger and content warnings before purchasing.
FIRE READ
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
SYNOPSIS:
Five years after her father’s death, Lucy is still working hard to evade the dreadful fate of becoming a “ward of the state.” That is, until her case is picked up by a kind man named Mr. Jameson, who reveals to her a family history her White father kept secret: She’s Ojibwe. Not only that, but she has siblings, a grandmother, and an actual home waiting for her. After years of painfully struggling through the foster system, Lucy is afraid that her new fortune is too good to be true. As much as she wants to trust Mr. Jameson and his formidable yet good-hearted female friend, her past trauma hangs over her like a great beast waiting to swallow her whole.
WHY:
A member of the Ojibwe community, specifically the Sault Ste. Marie Nation of Chippewa Indians, Angeline Boulley has always been passionate about Indigenous activism. First, as a former director of the United States Office of Indian Education, and later, as an author. Her third novel, Sisters in the Wind, shines a light on the Indian Child Welfare Act, which was introduced in 1978 in an attempt to rectify the historical atrocity of forcibly removing Native children from their families. Lucy’s story of reclaiming her lost heritage is truly awe-inspiring.
TEA TIME READ
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories, Edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
SYNOPSIS:
Through every Native reservation is a road leading to the same destination: Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In. Bathed in neon lights and filled with laughter and music, this local hangout is a haven for Indigenous teens everywhere. An anthology of short stories and poems, this collection is a love song to multiple Native cultures and peoples.
WHY:
Legendary Frybread Drive-In is not the first anthology that Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith has edited. This YA collection, along with her children’s compendium, Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, celebrates Indigenous worlds and customs from a youth-oriented perspective. Aside from her writing, Smith also founded Heartdrum, an Indigenous focused publishing imprint of HarperCollins.
HEAR ME OUT
Liar’s Test by Ambelin Kwaymullina
SYNOPSIS:
Bell Silverleaf is a part of the Treesingers, a people with a powerful connection to the trees and land, who were invaded by another group called the Risen. After generations of oppression, Bell is granted an unheard-of opportunity: an invitation to compete in the Queen’s Test. Along with seven other young women, Bell must overcome a series of deadly trials in order to determine who the next ruler of the Risen will be. With an angle toward revenge, Bell aims to win the crown and settle a decades-long score for her people. But, as it turns out, the gods are watching her, too.
WHY:
Aboriginal author Ambelin Kwaymullina hails from the Palyku people residing in Western Australia. Also an illustrator, her work extends into children’s books as well. Kwaymullina’s other YA novels featuring powerful young women can be found here.
That’s a wrap on this week’s Three to Read Teen! Check back in soon for more phenomenal YA recommendations.
Click here for another great roundup of YA novels featuring characters of color.
Find these titles and others on our Three to Read bookshelf on Bookshop.
