Description:
The American Indian Youth Literature and Morris Award-winning author of Rez Ball returns with the unforgettable story of a gifted young Ojibwe athlete learning to ride in his father's footsteps while practicing for a skateboarding championship.
When Bryce's mom walks out on her abusive boyfriend and back into jail for breaking her probation, he's left facing the summer of his junior year with no parents, no phone, and only the clothes on his back.
With nowhere to call home, Bryce crashes at his grandparents' house on Wolf Creek reservation. Wolf Creek is full of memories and old friends--including Robbie and Mikayla, who hang out at the local skate park.
Skateboarding reminds Bryce of his late dad: carefree, riding like he could fly. If Bryce could learn to ride like that, he'd take his crew to the top of the skateboarding championship at the end of the summer, and finally prove he's not a loser, especially to the online-famous, captivating Mikayla. Summer is looking up, even as he's falling on his face.
But when a fresh loss takes Bryce down, he'll need to learn to lean on his Ojibwe community to get back on the board. Only then can he discover his father's real legacy--and the true meaning of unconditional love.
Brief description:
Byron Graves is Ojibwe and Lakota and was born and raised on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota, where they played high school basketball. When they aren't writing, they can be found playing retro video games, spending time with their family, or cheering on their beloved Minnesota Timberwolves. Rez Ball was their debut novel; Medicine Wheels is their second book.
Review Quotes:
"A sincere portrait of grief, growth, and finding balance on and off the board." - Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
"Graves (Ojibwe and Lakota) follows up their debut Rez Ball (2023) with another charming YA sports story rooted in Native culture. Readers will feel their passion and resilience on every page." - Booklist (starred review)
"Graves's storytelling incorporates a dynamic, moody mix of angst and hope, grappling frankly with the multifront trials and joys of an Indigenous youth. Fans of Benjamin Alire Sáenz and Francisco X. Stork will be drawn to the complicated world Graves develops around this "rez kid." Any teen--those, like Bryce, feeling powerless or not--should feel seen." - Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"The narrative deftly weaves together Bryce's personal struggles with those of the larger community and strikes an effective balance between serious issues (e.g., the grim prospect of land loss) and lighter ones (with scenes of skateboarding, friendship, and romance). By summer's end, Bryce feels stronger and more confident in who he is." - The Horn Book
"Graves, who took up skateboarding himself while writing this book, has created a coming-of-age sports story that speaks directly and compassionately to Indigenous teens, layered with grit and heart." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books