Legendary Frybread Drive-In is a collection of intertribal YA stories edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith with contributions from Indigenous writers Cynthia Leitich Smith, Kate Hart, Eric Gansworth, Marcella Bell, Darcie Little Badger, Karina Iceberg, Kaua Māhoe Adams, Andrea L. Rogers, Cheryl Isaacs, Christine Hartman Derr, Brian Young, K.A. Cobell, A.J. Eversole, Byron Graves, Angeline Boulley, David A. Robertson, and Jen Ferguson. These writers represent at least thirteen different Indigenous tribes/nations/people in the USA, including Alaska and Hawaii, and Canada.
Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-in slips into every rez or place that Native kids hangout. It shows up one day without warning with its green and yellow neon sign beckoning Native teens from every tribal nation or Indigenous people, often when they need it the most. While there teens can find a rotating menu of amazing ingenious foods, which varies by locales, but always frybread is on the menu. They are also treated to music and movies surrounded by other people who understand them, often speaking their Native language. They are often served by Honorary Grandparents or elders who not only dish out good food but also offer a listening ear or offer a word of wisdom.
Each story is both unique and yet the same. I imagine that Cynthia Leitich Smith set the perimeters: Sandy June's isn't easy to find, the meu should serve some indigenous specialties specific to the area and involve the teen in making the item, use some words/phrases in your language, have the teenager find answers through both Native wisdom and also good ol' working things out. Every story mentions frybread and most (not all) mention Indian tacos.
As I finished the last story a thought occurred to me. We live very close to the Puyallup Indian tribal lands, and not far from the where the Muckleshoots call home. We pass through Nisqually land as we drive to our state capitol. (All of these tribes are interconnected and are known collectively as the Salmon People of the Pacific NW [Northern California through BC and Alaska]) And yet, I have never had an Indian taco before. I could guess what they are: taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese folded into frybread. Well, I suddenly had to find out for myself. I discovered there was a Frybread food truck less than 10 miles from our home. Don agreed to have an Indian taco with me for lunch.
We found the food truck, no problem, and each ordered an Indian taco, and a Strawberry Frybread Cake to share. Since there were no picnic tables, we drove to a nearby park to eat. I expected our taco to have a slab of frybread folded around the fixings. Our taco had frybread already put up into chunks which we decided made it more like a taco salad but easier to consume. The strawberry frybread was like strawberry shortcake, a favorite. All delicious.
Now we are curious to go back and try the other items on the menu!
I highly recommend this book not only because it won the coveted Printz Award this past January, given to the best YA literature published the previous year, but also because it does a nice job of showing the ancient wisdom in many indigenous cultures. Wisdom which is being shared a warm and inviting way.
Every public library and all middle and high school libraries in the USA and Canada need at least one, if not more, copies of this book. It needs to be widely available not only for Native kids to find themselves on the pages of a book but also to increase cultural awareness and understanding among teens.
My rating: 5 stars.
-Anne
