Elatsoe
Following news that her older cousin Trevor has died, Ellie, a contemporary Lipan Apache teen in Texas, is visited by Trevor in a dream in which he tells her he was murdered. Ellie, whose beloved dog Kirbie remains her devoted companion five years after his death, doesn’t find communicating with the spirit world unusual. She was named Elatsoe for her Six Great grandmother, a woman whose legendary skill fighting real-world and supernatural threats helped protect the Lipan Apache people. But Trevor’s message is deeply upsetting, adding anger to Ellie’s heartbreak. Determined to find the killer, Ellie investigates with the help of her best friend Jay, who is white (a descendant of Oberon, although Jay’s magic is faint). Evidence soon points to a doctor from nearby Willowbee, a small, mysterious, whitewashed Texas town where he has a secretive clinic and lives in a house guarded by vampires. Not all vampires are evil—Jay’s sister is dating one who joins the effort to catch Trevor’s killer—but these most certainly are. The more Ellie learns, the greater the danger, including, her mother cautions, risks that go hand-in-hand with her gift. Ellie’s search for justice, and rest for her cousin’s spirit, is also a story of family ties and family history, friendship, loss, and self-discovery in a novel with an engaging, original plot; unique, creative world-building; and terrific characterizations, including the depiction of Ellie as asexual. Black-and-white illustrations at the start of each chapter depict Six Great’s story. ©2021 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Rovina Cai
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Asexual People
Families
Fantasy
First/Native Nations
Good and Evil
Grandmothers
Grief and Loss
LGBTQ+ Persons
Lipan Apache People
Mysteries
Supernatural
Diversity subject:
Indigenous
LGBTQ Character/Topic
Publisher:
Levine Querido
Publish Year: 2020
Pages: 360
ISBN: 9781646140053
CCBC Location: Fiction, Little Badger