New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith turns to realistic fiction with the thoughtful story of a Native teen navigating the complicated, confusing waters of high school — and first love. When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather … anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?more
Okay, wow. I don’t even know where to start with this review. First, I’ll start by saying this book is a must read. I give it six out of five stars!
I learned about this book because it appeared on a Native romance by Native writers list, and that’s currently my obsession. I want to read all the Native romance, y’all! However, to me, this book isn’t a romance. It’s a YA coming-of-age story. Still, I loved it so much I didn’t even care.
The story follows Lou, a Muscogee Creek girl, who is a high school senior. She’s relatively new to the school and joins the school paper to explore her interest in journalism and perhaps make some friends.
The drama really begins in this suburban Kansas high school when the new theater director decides to do a production of Wizard of Oz (a Kansas favorite) and casts the play based solely on the talent of the actors. As a result the play will feature a Black student playing Dorothy, a Latino student playing Scarecrow, and a Muscogee Creek student (Lou’s brother) playing Tin Man.
Some (white) parents and students complain, they start a group (PART – Parents Against Revisionist Theater) calling for a return to the “traditional” method of casting. They petition, they pressure the school, they threaten the jobs of the teachers, and some resort to far worse tactics of intimidation.
It’s in this environment where Lou finds herself trying to finish high school, fall in love, stay close with her friends, support her family, confront bullying, and fight racism using her platform with the school paper.
Cynthia Leitich Smith masterfully handles the politics of race, the realities of racism, and the emotional toll it takes or people of color. Throughout the story, we see so many instances of casual racism, needling microaggressions that, while not as brutal as the acts of overt racism, take a huge and cumulative emotional toll.
Our main character is a smart young woman who witnesses every one of these offenses, often silently absorbing them, knowing she’s expected to grin and bear it. So she chooses her battles, letting some things go while taking a stand on others.
One of my favorite things about the book is that none of the characters are perfect. Even as Lou holds people accountable for their racism toward Natives, she puts her foot in her mouth and says some racist things about others.
But she learns from that experience, and she grows. And so do many in this Kansas community, when their eyes are opened to the racism that their friends and neighbors face every day.
In the end, the book is about hope for a future where we will listen, learn, and grow as individuals and communities to fight bullying and racism. It’s a message of hope that a new generation will see the world with eyes wide open to the things their parents didn’t want to see.
It’s a beautiful message, wonderfully written. If you’re looking for something to read this week, this is the perfect Thanksgiving read.
This was a good book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes YA Fiction and is interested in seeing how things are (regarding racism) in America through a Native American’s point of view.