Book cover of Rain Is Not My Indian Name

Rain Is Not My Indian Name

ISBN

9780380733002

Publisher & Publication Year

Heartdrum, 2021

Publisher's Book Page

Author

Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Nation)

Author's Website 

Illustrator

Natasha Donovan (Métis)

Synopsis

Summary

It’s been six months since Cassidy Rain Berghoff’s best friend, Galen, died, and up until now she has succeeded in shutting herself off from the world. But when controversy arises around Aunt Georgia’s Indian Camp in their mostly white midwestern community, Rain decides to face the outside world again, with a new job photographing the campers for her town’s newspaper. Soon, Rain has to decide how involved she wants to become in Indian Camp. Does she want to keep a professional distance from her fellow Native teens? And, though she is still grieving, will she be able to embrace new friends and new beginnings?

Notable Achievements

Named one of the 30 Most Influential Children’s Books of All Time by Book Riot; Native Ways of Knowing Book List; American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL) Best Books of 2021; 2020 Teaching for Change: Social Justice Books Selection; Finalist, Oklahoma Book Award; Featured Title, National Book Festival; Featured Title, Texas Book Festival; Dishchii’Bikoh High School Reader Award; “You Gotta Read This Book” Club, St. Petersburg Times; Book of the Month, Red Tales, Aboriginal Voices Radio

Reviews

Publishers Weekly: "Readers will feel the affection of Rain's loose-knit family and admire the way that they, like the author with the audience, allow Rain to draw her own conclusions about who she is and what her heritage means to her."

Kirkus Reviews: "Tender, funny, and full of sharp wordplay, Smith’s first novel deals with a whole host of interconnecting issues."

Educator Guide

This guide, written by Lakota writer and educator Andrea Page, includes discussion questions and curriculum connections.

Link to Guide

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