Firefly Season

Description: "Piper feels grateful for visits with her relatives, especially for the time spent with her cousins in Cherokee Nation and Muscogee Nation during summer vacations, fishing on misty mornings and playing on firefly-filled evenings. Piper's family lives a road trip away in Kansas City. So when a neighbor named Sumi moves in next door, Piper is excited to share her stories and seasons with a new friend. The two are inseparable--until Piper's family moves to another city. Their bond overcomes distance, and with time, Piper dreams up a plan to reunite with the people she loves most of all."--Provided by publisher.

Brief description:

Kate Gardiner is a New England-based illustrator. She is a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians and a graduate of Maine College of Art & Design. Kate has illustrated several books, including her debut picture book, Small Places, Close to Home by Deborah Hopkinson, and Sometimes We Fall by Randall de Sève. She can be found online at kategardinerillustration.com.

Review Quotes:

"Sisterhood knows no limits, even across different cultural backgrounds, in a story that blends Indigenous and South Asian facets in a wonderfully accessible and childlike way."

"A glowing tribute to family across distance and lineage." - Kirkus Reviews

"A familial narrative filled with longing, love, and the blessing of found sisterhood." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Reflections on family, found family, and how bonds are forged and kept are reassuringly wholesome...Quietly sweet and authentic." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books