AmericanIndianYouthLiteratureAwardWinner-AmericanIndianLibraryAssociationWhenRegina’sUmpquatribeislegallyterminatedandherfamilymustrelocatefromOregontoLosAngeles,shegoesonaquesttounderstandheridentityasanIndiandespitebeingsofarfromhome.ReginaPetit’sfamilyhasalwaysbeenUmpqua,andlivingontheGrandRondeTribe’sreservationisallten-year-oldReginahaseverknown.HerbiggestworryisthatSasquatchmayactuallyexistoutintheforest.ButwhenthefederalgovernmentenactsalawthatsaysRegina’stribenolongerexists,Reginabecomes“Indiannomore“overnight--eventhoughsheliveswithhertribeandpracticestribalcustoms,andeventhoughherancestorswereIndianforcountlessgenerations.Nowthatthey’vebeenforcedfromtheirhomeland,Regina’sfathersignsthefamilyupforthefederalIndianRelocationProgramandmovesthemtoLosAngeles.Reginafindsawholenewworldinherneighborhoodon58thPlace.She’snevermetkidsofotherraces,andthey’venevermetarealIndian.Forthefirsttimeinherlife,Reginacomesfacetofacewiththeviciousnessofracism,personallyandtowardhernewfriends.Meanwhile,herfatherbelievesthatifheworkshard,theirfamilywillbetreatedjustlikewhiteAmericans.Butit’snotthateasy.It’s1957duringtheCivilRightsera,andthefamilystruggleswithouttheirtribalcommunityandland.AtleastReginahashergrandmother,Chich,andherstories.Atleasttheyarealltogether.Inthismovingmiddle-gradenoveldrawinguponUmpquaauthorCharleneWillingMcManis’sowntribalhistory,Reginamustfindout:WhoisReginaPetit?IssheIndian,American,orboth?Andwillsheandherfamilyeverbeokay?
