Little Brother of War

The tension between respecting Choctaw tradition and embracing change are at the heart of Robinson’s strong addition to the PathFinders series about Native American teens, written by Native authors. Randy is pressured to pursue high school sports, like his father and recently deceased war-hero brother before him. But the 16-year-old discovers that he loves—and has a talent for—Choctaw stickball or toli, an ancient game similar to lacrosse that isn’t a school sport and that his father thinks is a relic. Written at a fourth-grade reading level, the story captures the believable friction in Randy’s family and introduces a bit of American culture that will be new to many readers. Simultaneously available: Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner by Tim Tingle. Ages 12–16.