Rovina Cai
Rovina Cai is a freelance illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia. She works out of an old convent building that is possibly haunted. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and the Children's Book Council of Australia.
Teen Books (1)
Synopsis:
Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.
There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.
Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.
Awards
- TIME's Best 100 Fantasy Books of All Time
- NPR Best of the Year
- Locus Award Winner -- Best First Novel
- Shelf-Awareness Best of the year
Reviews
"Creative and meticulously plotted...a Lipan Apache Sookie Stackhouse for the teen set." — Shelf-Awareness
"Educates about settler colonialism while also entertaining with paranormal twists.... Groundbreaking...A brilliant, engaging debut" — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"[A] refreshing voice. Indigenous stories, modern-day technology, and the supernatural successfully blend to build a fast-paced murder mystery." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Little Badger's stunning, haunting debut brings to the fantasy genre a fresh voice and perspective, weaving in folktales, omens, and urban legends of the protagonist's Lipan Apache culture." -- Booklist, starred review
Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 12+
Darcie Little Badger is an extraordinary debut talent in the world of speculative fiction. This is a book singular in feeling and beauty.
This book is part of the Elatsoe series.
Additional Information
368 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback
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and core of the Pacific Northwest Coast peoples—the Cedar Tree, known as the Tree of Life. We are
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