A tender and gripping novel about family, identity, and loss.
Thirteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what
it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her
sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the
Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori
Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American
woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and
emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's
semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic
loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.
Lori Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a
member of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about
Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her
experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to
all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included.