We Still Belong by Christine Day

 

Wesley Wilder wakes up early on Indigenous People's Day. She's looking forward to the intertribal powwow later in the evening, but first she has to get through an important day at school. Her first publication--a poem about Indigenous People's Day--is being released in the school newspaper today, and she's anxious to see how her teachers and classmates will react to it. She's also steeling her courage to ask Ryan, her crush and a fellow gamer, to the school dance. 

 

But as one thing leads to another, nothing that day goes as planned. By the time she gets home from school, Wesley is discouraged and unsure. But the powwow has more surprises in store, and Wesley finally finds her place to shine in her community and find her own bravery. 

This sweet, heartfelt novel surpassed all my expectations. I was a little apprehensive going into it, because I usually don't enjoy shorter novels (this one is around 240 pages) and especially wasn't sure about the idea of the whole book taking place in one day. Often books like that feel rushed, and I don't have time to fully get to know the characters before it ends. But We Still Belong was so rich and balanced--a huge accomplishment given the short time span of the novel. I grew deeply attached to Wesley and her family during the course of the book, and felt like I got a fully fleshed-out glimpse into their lives. The book also balances the main plot with some flashback chapters, which add to the well-roundedness of the story. We Still Belong is such a feel-good story, and I enjoyed every moment I spent within its pages.