Graphic Novel
Developed for a classroom audience, this graphic novel is available for download, print-on-demand, and for a limited time - free on request.
Jaya, a Native teen temporarily separated from her mom, accompanies her Grandmother and Aunt to a family reunion. Between chores and activities, the older women lead her through a story about Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, combining history and their own memories of attending the boarding school in northern Oklahoma. Their account arouses a range of emotions in the teen, from tears, to laughter, to anger, to compassion. The result: a new respect for her family and the resilience of Native peoples, along with insights into how Jaya might handle the changes in her own life. This story, set in present-day Oklahoma, was compiled from the experiences of real students who attended Chilocco, and their recollections were shared through oral history interviews, photographs, letters, and other archival sources. It engages students and adults in an often overlooked part of U.S. history and pushes back against stereotypes of Native identity.
Get the free digital download of the graphic novel!
Want a physical printed copy of this book, you can order a printed copy from Literati Press for $5.
Want a library or classroom copy of the printed book, contact us.
Also see this related Project Based Learning module from Dr. Lisa Lynn Brooks.
Project support from Oklahoma Humanities.