August 21, 2023
An Indigenous child interested in space travel relies on their vivid imagination to concoct stories of alien encounters in this title. “Apache and Chickasaw and Cherokee” Naiche, whose parents work for NASA, is teased because of their heritage: “The girls at school pull my long, dark hair and call me Pocahontas.” At home, when there’s no one to play with, Naiche heads to the mountain woods, where “I imagine my own world with blue trees and blue squirrels.” Astride a fantastical Zog, a beast resembling a dog with multiple eyes, the child seems to see extraterrestrial aircraft landing, and dreams of making introductions with “the people of Zotoc.” Cherokee artist Irla blends enhanced photography with digital imaging to depict Naiche’s imagingings against a real-world backdrop. In a note, Apache, Chickasaw, and Cherokee author Wurth discusses the idea that “Native kids... might read this book and think, I can do anything I want, even travel to the stars.” An author’s note concludes. Ages 7–10.