Praise for Borders: An American Library Association Notable Children's Book A School and Library Journal Best Children's Book A Kirkus Best Book A Boston Globe Best Book An NPR Best Book A People Magazine Best Book A Horn Book Fanfare Grand Canyon Reader Award nominee Little Maverick Graphic Novel nominee A NCTE Charlotte Huck Recommended Title
* "The story highlights both the universal feelings of a family moving apart and a very specific Indigenous experience."—Kirkus, starred review
* "The thematic and literary richness of this story is exhilarating, unsettling the insistent binary of American/Canadian nationalities for the lived reality of Indigenous nationhood."—Horn Book, starred review
* "Subtle and smart, this laconic graphic novel will linger with readers."—Booklist, starred review
* "An important and accessible modern tale about the ongoing lack of recognition by colonizers for the Indigenous communities who continue to exist on their ancestral lands." —School Library Journal, starred review
* "This sobering yet inspiring tale effectively spotlights a Native woman who quietly demands that her voice be heard and her identity recognized."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"...a timely graphic novel about identity”—People Magazine
★ 08/01/2021
Gr 6 Up—Laetitia, a young Blackfoot woman living north of the Canadian border, moves to Salt Lake City after growing bored with her life, which is filled with tension between her and her mother. After some time has passed, Laetitia's mother and her little brother, who narrates the story, decide to take a road trip to visit, and so must pass through two border checkpoints: one for the United States and one for Canada. At each checkpoint, Laetitia's mother is asked her citizenship, and at each, she claims her Blackfoot nationality. Barred from entering the United States, Laetitia's mother is sent back to the Canadian border and isn't allowed to pass; she and her son find themselves stuck in the space in between, recognized as citizens of nowhere. King (Cherokee) and Donovan (Métis) create a simple yet powerful story of Indigenous endurance at the convergence of identity, culture, survival, history, and modern politics. Although Laetitia is named, her mother and brother are not, signifying the difference in recognition paid to those who readily accept colonial practices and those who do not. White characters are also identified by their given names. Donovan's steadfast style is easily and immediately recognizable. A natural palette of beige, gold, and similar earthy colors is used alongside a variety of blues depicting the daytime sky and the darkness of night. Strong lines and minimal backgrounds keep the focus on the characters' wide-eyed and expressive faces, working well with the character-driven narrative. Characters identify as white Americans or Canadians, and Blackfoot. VERDICT An important and accessible modern tale about the ongoing lack of recognition by colonizers for the Indigenous communities who continue to exist on their ancestral lands.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst P.L., IL
★ 08/09/2021
In this sparsely worded, moving graphic novel adaptation of King’s 1993 short story of the same name, the team adeptly captures the dilemma of Native Nations whose homelands were split by political borders. “For the Blackfoot,” King (who is of Cherokee/Greek descent) writes in the dedication, “who understand that the border is a figment of someone else’s imagination.” An unnamed Blackfoot boy from a Canadian reserve recalls his 17-year-old sister, Laetitia’s, move to Salt Lake City. Because Laetitia’s father is affiliated with Rocky Boy, a Chippewa-Cree tribe in the U.S., Laetitia is free to live in the States. After several years, the boy and his mother drive to visit Laetitia, only to be asked their citizenship at the American border. “Blackfoot,” the mother repeats to various guards in the hours they are detained, until they are sent back to Canada—only to face the same tribulations at the Canadian border, thus beginning a days-long loop. Simple pen-and-wash illustrations by Donovan (who is Métis) capture the child’s distress as the likelihood of his reunion with Laetitia dwindles. This sobering yet inspiring tale effectively spotlights a Native woman who quietly demands that her voice be heard and her identity recognized. Ages 8–12. (Sept.)
★ 2021-08-11
A family tries to overcome all borders.
Laetitia has moved from her reserve in Alberta to Salt Lake City in Utah. When her mother and younger brother try to visit, they run into a problem at the border. The agents at the U.S. booth ask them their citizenship, and the mother answers only “Blackfoot.” The agents will accept only either “Canadian” or “American.” Turned away, they proceed back past the duty-free store to the Canadian booth, where the same thing happens—again and again. Mother and son are marooned between the borders for days. Readers see this from the unnamed brother’s perspective, which flashes back and forth between the past when Laetitia decides to move away and the attempted visit. King, of Cherokee and Greek descent, adapts his text from a previously published short story, laconic text expanded by artwork that captures the vastness of the Albertan prairie sky, with multiple panels showcasing the sky above buildings and natural backdrops. The story highlights both the universal feelings of a family moving apart and a very specific Indigenous experience: The Blackfoot have existed since before the border, and now they are artificially split into two sides, an absurdity captured here with trenchant, cutting wryness. Métis illustrator Donovan’s depictions of Blackfoot people are slightly varied, showing those who live on a reserve as well as urban Indigenous who live in cities.
Brilliant. (Graphic fiction. 8-adult)