I really enjoyed this one. It had a kidlit Ulysses feel. It's a day in the life of a native preteen. My only complaint is that it wasn't a normal day and a some parts of the plot weren't that believable,

I am constantly looking for stories from Indigenous authors about their experiences and was so happy to come upon We Still Belong. So many kids don't realize that there are still Indigenous people living in the United States. This was a wonderful addition to my classroom library because it told a story my students could relate to with struggles and perseverance and embracing who they are.

We Still Belong by Christine Day follows the main character, Wesley, through a single day. The book is set on Indigenous People’s Day and the main character grapples with challenges related to not feeling heard and not feeling “Native enough” while also dealing with typical middle grade struggles like friendship and crushes and family issues. Although there are some flashback scenes in the book, I was throughly impressed that the whole story took place over the course of a single day.

Wesley is a main character that was likable and relatable. I loved the way she expressed genuine empathy, even toward those she didn’t know well. I appreciated the way the author examined various aspects of Wesley’s identity through authentic experiences like publishing a piece in the school paper, joining school clubs, watching YouTube, and attending a powwow with family. This was my first book by this author, but I will definitely be on the lookout for other titles by Christine Day!

Thank you to NetGalley and Heartdrum for the opportunity to review this title.

I loved this middle grade book. Day does such a great job of writing characters who grab at my heartstrings. I loved the family represented in this story and how they supported each other. Wesley was such a great character and I rooted for her through the whole book.

Bought this for my elementary library soon after finishing this.

I loved this middle grade by Christine Day. She does such a great job of writing characters who grab at my heartstrings. I loved the family represented in this story and how they supported each other. Loved that our main character was so excited about her poem highlighting Indigenous People's Day was in the school paper. Always a bummer to see teachers and other students being unkind and basically ignorant, but that is why books like this are so important. I don't know much about the Upper Skagit people, but I know a bit more now that I've read this book. Loved getting the glimpse into the pow wow at the end. And the little bit of a crush/relationship felt very appropriate for middle school. A delight of a book and a 4 star read for me.

All the good feels for this book! Not an ounce of saccharine with honestly depicted characters. The life lessons apply well beyond 7th grade. I appreciate the day-long roller coaster of emotions.

A fantastic heartfelt middle-grade book.

I truly enjoyed every aspect of this book. It is well developed and fun to read while still tugging on your heartstrings.

We Still Belong is a wonderful, heartfelt book that’s easy to fly through. Wesley is an important character, and I’m excited to show her to kids at my school.

I learned a lot from this middle grade book with an ingenious heroine who is trying to tell her classmates how Columbus affects her and that it really is ingenious day. And the author is ingenious so it makes this one an own voices novel as well.

Sorry for my late response! What a fantastic book! I've recommended it to several teachers and have included the title in an upcoming publication of Native American books that have been gathered to align with the Minnesota State ELA standards. I'm happy to share the publication with interested parties when it is through editing and layout.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I found this book true to heart be Native American myself and Wesley goes through a lot in the one day this book takes place in. She wants to honor her heritage but because of a law she can't be enrolled as part of the tribe. All she wants to do is share her pride, go to the dance with her crush and show who she is as a person. All of this while dealing with school and people that don't understand. I wish I had books like this when I was growing up.

This was such a lovely, bighearted middle grade novel about Wesley, a young Indigenous girl who loves poetry and is trying to highlight her heritage for Indigenous Peoples' Day. I loved the emphasis in this book on different kinds of families and ways of belonging.

I love stories that take place in only one day. This is a typical 7th-grade glimpse but somehow hit me more than this kind of middle school angst books usually do.

I love the approach that Day took with this character who wants to honor her indigenous heritage, even though she is distantly enough related to not qualify for tribal citizenship. Unfortunately, nothing else about this book stood out enough for me to remember clearly. It also does not help that I wrote this review over a week after reading the book. Day tackles a tricky subject with care. I just wish it had made more of an impact on me.

A realistic fiction book about a young girl who has a crush on a boy, is trying to navigate the 7th grade, as well as getting used to her new living arrangements at her grandfather's home with her mother, her aunt and uncle, and her new baby cousin. Add on top of all that she's dealing with the fact that her teachers have not acknowledged her piece in the school newspaper about her feeling about Indigenous People's Day, especially because her family through her grandmother's side, is from the Upper Skagit tribe. Because of the tribal law, she cannot be part of the Nation, but that doesn't stop her from being proud of her heritage. This is a story about being true to yourself and not conforming yourself to other people's thought and opinions of you, as well as a story that Native people are still here, still matter, and still make a difference and should be given the same space as anyone else.

Powerful, magically real, and moving. Christine Day manages to weave a story that only lasts one day, but still evokes a lot of growth out of its characters. Wesley is going to have a big day--she's just had an important poem about Indigenous People's Day published in her school paper, and she's about to ask her crush, Ryan, to a dance. However, everything starts to go wrong. People are saying that her crush is going to go with one of the blonde, popular, rich kids and none of her teachers seem to understand her poem. Timely, relevant, quiet, but strong, this book is a must buy for all library collections serving youth.

Christine Day does it again!

Wesley has just had a poem published in her school newspaper for Indigenous Peoples' Day, and at the same time is hoping to ask a boy, Ryan, to the school dance.

This novel spans only one day but there is never a dull moment. Wesley and her mother are compelling protagonists you can't help but root for - and I love the grandpa! Wesley's best friend is also so heartwarmingly supportive. I love seeing the living support of Wesley's family and her friends, new and old, represented in this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary middle grade - it is fast paced, written with Day's always crisp prose, and a heartwarming read.

This is a lovely little book! It takes places all in a day, but it doesn’t feel stretched out. Flashbacks and stories are woven in very well, and it comes to a satisfying conclusion.

I loved that this book highlighted through Wesley’s friend and her English teacher that being marginalized does not mean you have to constantly explain why you deserve to be included and why you celebrate Indigenous People’s Day over Columbus Day. Even in artistic expression like a poem, there can still be a thesis statement—“We Still Belong.”

Even though the book is so short, we get a sense of Wesley’s family and friends—including classmates she gets to know better. The book feels like a portal to understanding the complexities to those around you and the importance of family.

Listen as a child it was rare to have Native American representation outside of white spaces where we were just seen as vilians or savages. In my adult life this book made my heart smile. We actually got the guy and we are depicted as educated. While wesley has struggles in her personal life she has support from a loving family and friends. I also loved her learning not to judge a book by its cover going both ways. Also, giving importance to indigenous peoples day. Thats still a conversation that needs to be had within school but this book gives me hope.

I loved this one. Christine Day has such a powerful voice in middle grade fiction and the representation, both indigenous and of the main character’s warm, expansive family was beautifully rendered. I loved the powerful emphasis on finding both your voice and community in this incredibly tender and thoughtful piece of middle grade fiction.