Forever Cousins by Laurel Goodluck (2022)

As a kid, the Thanksgiving stories of “the Pilgrims and the Indians” always left me wondering about Native tribes. The stories I was told seemed incomplete and stunted, which is why I am so thankful for the current push in children’s publishing for #OwnVoices. Now, there are more books with characters from marginalized groups written by authors who represent those groups. “Forever Cousins,”(2022) by Laurel Goodluck is a story about two cousins, Amanda and Kara. They love spending time together eating toast with chokecherry jam, powwow dancing, and exploring nature. One day, Kara’s family decides to move back to The Rez, which is many states away from their current city home. Amanda and Kara stay in touch over the phone for a year. As the next summer arrives, it is time for their family reunion, but the girls wonder: will their friendship be the same?  As you may guess from the title…yes! They are “forever cousins!” 

Heart: Haven’t we all had that experience where a loved one moves away and we wonder if things will change? Will the friendship remain strong with such distance between us? This is a great book for kids who have strong bonds with their cousins or who have a friend that is moving. Amanda and Kara teach us that distance cannot break the bonds of love, culture and family. 

Head: For parents and teachers with preschool/elementary kids, I encourage you to read the Author’s Note on your own. Then, as you are reading the story to your kids, you can infuse some of the historical context into your reading and discussion of the story. The Author’s Note provides  information about the intention behind and legacy of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956. There is also lovely information about the strong connections to culture that Laurel Goodluck’s family maintained as they traveled from the city to various reservations across the country each summer.