I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Disclosure here.
Reading age
8-12
Genre
Realistic fiction
Publisher
Heartdrum
Publication date
June 4, 2024
Tomah and Ariel try their best to overcome their struggles.
Tomah and Ariel are best friends who have always looked out for each other. However, both of them face challenges in their lives. Tomah is held back in 3rd grade due to his reading disability and also deals with his father’s disapproval. Meanwhile, Ariel’s Aunt Bineshiinh goes missing and is later found dead. This book delves into how each of them handles their problems and how their perspectives on the world change as a result.
This book had a powerful message for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#MMIW) and did an excellent job of shedding light on this matter. However, the story sometimes needed to be less metaphorical, hampering my understanding of what was happening. The book was also fast-paced, and I finished it in just two hours.
Tomah emerged as a compassionate and respectful character. His use of humor to conceal his inner struggles evoked a sense of empathy in me. On the other hand, Ariel was portrayed as a poetic soul who found solace in dance, and her grief over her aunt’s loss was heart-wrenching.
I recommend this book to those passionate about MMIW who appreciate a story illuminating such a challenging and important subject.
My rating
