Tilly

Tilly has always known she's part Lakota on her dad's side. She's grown up with the traditional teachings of her grandma, relishing the life lessons of her beloved mentor. But it isn't until an angry man shouts something on the street that Tilly realizes her mom is Aboriginal too a Cree woman taken from her own parents as a baby.

Tilly feels her mother's pain deeply. She's always had trouble fitting in at school, and when her grandma dies unexpectedly, her anchor is gone. Then Abby, a grade-seven classmate, invites her home for lunch and offers her "something special" to drink. Nothing has prepared Tilly for the tingling in her legs, the buzz in her head and the awesome feeling that she can do anything. From then on, partying seems to offer an escape from her insecurities. But after one dangerously drunken evening, Tilly knows she has to change. Summoning her courage, she begins the long journey to finding pride in herself and her heritage. Just when she needs it most, a mysterious stranger offers some wise counsel: "Never question who you are or who your people are. It's in your eyes. I know it's in your heart." (From Sono Nis Press)

• 25 books that highlight the beauty of Indigenous literature
• Why Monique Gray Smith almost stopped writingSpeaking Our Truth

Monique Gray Smithis amixed-heritage Cree, Lakotaand Scottish author who often writes and speaks about the resilience of Indigenous communities in Canada. She is also the author of the children's booksSpeaking Our TruthandYou Hold Me Upand the novelsTillyandTilly and the Crazy Eights.

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