Written and Illustrated by Emily Bowen Cohen
Mia lives with her mother and stepfather. She hasn’t seen her father in a long time because of his behavior. She knows that she has family in Oklahoma in the Muscogee tribe. Although she loves her mother and her mother’s Jewish faith, she really wants to know about being Native American. Her bat mitzvah is coming up and everyone is sending her money for it. She has a wonderful idea! She will take her money and go see her Dad in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, she is going to lie to her mom and tell her she is going on a retreat with her classmates when she is really getting on a bus by herself to go to Oklahoma. She is also lying to her father and telling him that her mom knows all about it. She has a wonderful time with her relatives in Oklahoma but is soon found out and in BIG TROUBLE. In the end she really just wants to know both sides of who she is. Her mom and dad talk and will work together to make sure she gets to know everyone in her family, and her father’s family will come to see her bat mitzvah. I really liked this book. Being torn between to families is really hard but losing half of yourself in the process is even harder.
Reviewed by Christie Haslam, Librarian, Gearld Wright Elementary
Review shared in September 2023
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 3-6
Two Tribes
Written and Illustrated by Emily Bowen Cohen
Heartdrum/Harper Alley, imprints of HarperCollinsPublishers
245 pages
Release Date: August 15, 2023
ISBN: 9780062983589
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
