Being able to express your culture to those who may not understand it is a powerful thing to do but, what do you do when others are negative towards your family's culture? Weasly comes from a native tribal culture background and all she wants to do is spread awareness but with the native tribal laws getting in the way Weasly is stuck with the idea that she no longer fits in with her community. What can Weasly do to fit in and not go against the native tribal laws? ( )

Gr 4–8—It is Indigenous People's Day, and Wesley has written a poem to mark the occasion. This important story
sheds light on contemporary Native American life and discusses discrimina

This Lone Star 2024 novel hit home as a super sweet story.

Wesley begins the day excited about sharing her poem concerning Indigenous People's Day, for it will be published in the school newspaper. She also plans on asking a boy she likes to a dance--this dance "requires" the girl to ask the boy. She has it all planned. It's going to be a great day! Well, the day doesn't go as planned. She notices that the newspapers seem to already be in the recycle bin and her teacher, who gives extra credit for being published in the paper, fails to say anything about her poem. His answer to her inquiries leaves Wesley feeling like a failure. As she preps to ask the boy to the dance, Wesley sees a girl in distress and goes to help her, making a new friend. She also meets another student who is new to the school who is also having a rough day.

Wesley feels proud of her Native American family and her roots even though she doesn't have the blood count to be a citizen of the community. She finds the end of the day better when she attends a celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day.

The story basically takes place over one day. Wesley shows kindness and courage throughout her day, as she shows that maybe blood count isn't the best means for determining Native American citizenry and that people need to be aware of the Native American culture and celebrate it. The ignorance surrounding the Native Americans creates an environment that doesn't allow for growth. This knowledge needs to be included, celebrated and taught. ( )

What a lovely book. It's got a lot of emotional tension, but is mostly just a day-in-the-life of 7th grader Wesley Wilder (Upper Skagit). It's a big day in her life -- Indigenous Peoples Day, a day she plans to ask her crush to a dance, a day that her poem is published in the school paper, a day with a pow-wow to look forward to at the end of it. It's quiet, but full of the ups and downs of a big day, and absolutely surrounded by the love of the Wilder family -- around, throughout, before and after. Particularly great messages about friendship, and about doing hard things that are important to you. ( )

Over the course of one day (with flashbacks/memories), Wesley Wilder's hopes are raised, dashed, and fulfilled in different ways, as she sees her poem in print in the school newspaper, makes a new friend, and discovers that a crush likes her back.

Quotes

I find stuff like this fascinating. Humans are all so different in the way they view things. (49)

....I wish I could become a tribal member. I wish I could be included. I wish I felt like I could belong there. (70)

Once, my grandfather told me: The things that scare us the most in this world are usually the most worthwhile things in our lives. (101)

It's a strange thing, to miss someone you don't remember. (144)

It's impossible to know what other people are going through. You never really know who might be hurting. What pain and stories they might be carrying in their hearts. But it is always possible to be kind. (211)

I could try to make sense of it all....Or I could embrace not knowing. This world is full of mysteries. (236) ( )