Happy Indigenous Peoples Month! Celebrate by reading Saints of the Household by local Indigenous author Ari Tison. This debut young adult novel is one of my favorite books to come out in the past few years, and I definitely shed a tear or two while reading it, so be sure to have a box of tissues on hand.
This story follows two teenage boys of Bribri descent as they navigate their coming-of-age journeys in Minnesota. The Bribri are an Indigenous people from Costa Rica, and their heritage is woven thoughtfully throughout the novel. It is told in dual perspectives—Jay’s in beautiful vignettes and Max’s in verse. I loved the connection these two brothers had to not only each other but their family, community and especially their grandfather.
I was impressed by Tison’s writing. Saints of the Household won the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature in 2024.
Jess Fuentes is one of the co-owners of Wild Rumpus Books. Find this title and more at wildrumpusbooks.com
