Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard (review)

In this paean to a Native American staple food, each spread starts with a statement about fry bread ("Fry bread is food"; "Fry bread is history"; "Fry bread is place") and then follows it with a few short lines expanding the concept (food talks about "Flour, salt, water"; history details "The long walk, the stolen land/Strangers in our own world"). Ultimately, "Fry bread is us" and "Fry bread is you." It's a simple (if slight), pleasingly celebratory text for young listeners, but the eight subsequent pages of much denser (and footnoted) explanatory author's note are where the real flavor lies. In the note, Maillard goes spread by spread to provide both a cultural overview and a personal take on fry bread ("If there's one thing that all Natives can agree upon about fry bread, it's that everybody else's version is wrong"). Unfortunately, the disparate sophistication of the texts means that audiences suited for the main section won't really benefit from the lively and interesting specifics in the longer note; adult intermediaries will have to pick and choose what to share to add dimension, sadly leaving good material behind. Watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are creative and adorable as an extended, multihued, multigenerational family concocts a batch of fry bread, shares stories and wisdom, and chows down on the tasty food; the orange-haired lap baby is particularly worth watching for wide eyes and blissful smile. With adult explanation, this could invite kids to discuss the importance of food and tradition in their own families. The author's recipe for fry bread is included.