This was a really quick middle-grade read, a snapshot in a short moment in the life of Rain, a native girl living in small town USA. Her best friend died a few months ago, and since then, has been withdrawn and cut-off from others, including her family. With the in politics surrounding her aunt's summer camp for Indian youth and her brother's new engagement, Rain is forced to reconnect with the world again, and come to terms with Galen's death and moving on with her life.

This is a deceptively simple book; not much happens. There isn't a big climax or an aha moment for Rain. Instead, it's slow and ordinary. ( )

After her first kiss with her best friend Galen in the first minutes of the New Year, and her birthday, Cassidy Rain goes home, only to learn the next morning that Galen is dead. Six months later, Rain is still grieving, having shut herself off from former friends. Reluctantly, she agrees to take photos for her soon-to-be sister-in-law's newspaper, teaming up with a college student known as "the Flash" to write and shoot a story on a Native American heritage program for youth. Rain is surprised to see her ex-second-best-friend and only Black girl in their small Kansas town; Queenie has just discovered her own Native American heritage. Rain started out impartial about the summer program, but when Galen's mom wants to cut it (partly to make the current mayor look bad), she comes to its defense.

At home, Rain's older brother Fynn and his white girlfriend Natalie have gotten engaged, and Rain realizes that Natalie is pregnant. Rain's mother was killed by a lightning strike six years ago, her father works on an air force base in Guam, and her grandpa is vacationing in Las Vegas.

Quotes

Mom had always said to consider new opportunities carefully, even if they might make me uncomfortable at first. (43)

I felt ashamed by how much I didn't know [about my family heritage]. (73)

It was as close as I had come to what everyone said was the right ritual, the right thing to do, but it didn't feel right to me. (85)

When I'd finally picked up my camera again, I'd used it as a wall instead of as a window. (126) ( )

I love the writing in this book -- Rain's voice is so effortlessly believable and engaging. Her story is a hard one, but she's finding ways past tragedy. She's sophisticated, intriguing, and a talented photographer. She's also eloquent about what life is like in a small town for (in this case) the handful of Native Americans that live there. Packs a lot of punch in a short book. Fine for kids, but probably
more appealing for tweens and teens.

advanced reader's copy for new edition provided by Edelweiss. ( )

"Being a Native girl is no big deal. Really. It seems weird to have to say this, but after a lifetime of experience, I'm used to being me. Dealing with the rest of the world and its ideas, now that frustrates me sometimes."

Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith was my first read this month and I breezed right through it. It is a short, light hearted read about Cassidy Rain dealing with the death of her best friend and her process of grief. I loved that the story was told with a mix of storytelling and journal entries. The characters really set the tone in this one and the protagonist's growth is the star of the novel. I wish the story was longer because I totally fell in love with Rain and wanted to know more about Indian Camp and the kids. I also loved that she was allowed the space to work out her grief on her own terms and by reconnecting with her passion for photography. It allowed her to see the world through a new lens and change her perspective about certain things.

When it ended I felt like it was a great beginning to bigger journey. I recommend this one if you want to start some conversations with youth about grief and feeling different.

The key themes in this one are:

📷 grief and first love
📷 the ways that society "others" Native children, especially girls
📷 how feeling different affects your ability to be vulnerable and ask for help
📷 the importance of allowing youth space to grieve and work through the process in their own way with support
📷 the importance of reconnecting with ancestral ways and culture
📷 the importance of specific cultural programs
📷 the sexualization of teen girls, especially Native ones
📷 family support is vital
📷 the importance of allowing youth to pursue passions
📷 teaching culture in collaborative ways
📷 assimilation and surviving looks different among members of the same family
📷 positive sibling relationships
📷 xenophobia of small towns
📷 ascribed identities and beliefs ( )

Interesting as an art, not so much a story, with a comfortable ending. ( )