And we cannot wait to try our hands at making a batch of fry bread while we discuss the complexities and value in its existence. There is so much to think about with this incredible book. It heavily and fantastically challenges the stereotypes we hold about looks defining people. It is amazing to think about the hundreds of Native American tribes still in existence and the incredible range of features that Native people have. One of the most unique and beautiful aspects of this book is the illustrations, especially the variety of characters in the fry bread family. Maillard has given a great picture book introduction to both. A varied group of children and elders are depicted contributing to the recipe as the text describes its complex role in American history. It is an American Indian tradition shared by a member of the Mekusukey Seminoles. I was not aware of fry bread, nor at all of the deep issues and beauty surrounding it. What is fry bread It’s food, shape, sound, art, history, and more so much more. He presents the truth and the pain that went into the necessity of inventing fry bread and the ways that it can be used in mourning and also celebrating Native resilience and that Indigenous people are still here. I love the way Maillard gently handles the controversy and history of fry bread. He does a lovely job supporting all the facts and words with footnotes, while never letting go of the personal notes that make fry bread special to himself and so many other Native families. Maillard has provided his own family recipe for fry bread and then touches on each part of the book and how fry bread can be beloved while also controversial, and how it changes amongst nations and tribes and even family to family. There is an extensive author’s note in the back, spanning several pages, and relating to almost every individual spread.
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