Medicine Wheels by Byron Graves
Publisher Summary: When Bryce’s mom walks out on her abusive boyfriend and back into jail for breaking her probation, he’s left facing the summer of his junior year with no parents, no phone, and only the clothes on his back.
With nowhere to call home, Bryce crashes at his grandparents’ house on Wolf Creek reservation. Wolf Creek is full of memories and old friends—including Robbie and Mikayla, who hang out at the local skate park.
Skateboarding reminds Bryce of his late dad: carefree, riding like he could fly. If Bryce could learn to ride like that, he’d take his crew to the top of the skateboarding championship at the end of the summer, and finally prove he’s not a loser, especially to the online-famous, captivating Mikayla. Summer is looking up, even as he’s falling on his face.
But when a fresh loss takes Bryce down, he’ll need to learn to lean on his Ojibwe community to get back on the board. Only then can he discover his father’s real legacy—and the true meaning of unconditional love.
My Thoughts: I was really looking forward to reading Medicine Wheels because I absolutely loved the author’s debut Rez Ball. The review for that one is here and if you haven’t read it yet, you’ll want to grab it also. As expected, Byron’s second published novel did not disappoint.
Bryce and his family have faced and continue to face a lot of difficult challenges and they’re feeling the impact of multiple traumas. Bryce is doing his best, but he feels like he’s getting more and more thrown at him and can’t catch a break. His personal losses are hard enough, but there is also an environmental issue with a proposed oil pipeline looming over his community.
For Bryce and his friends, it’s a hard balance to fight for their community, but also take care of their own needs. It’s a lot to juggle and there are more than a few dropped balls along the way. Mistakes are made, but there are also a lot of people looking out for each other. And though every problem is not solved and there isn’t a perfectly wrapped bow at the end, there is a lot of hope and encouragement in this story.
Graves has told a story about the strength of community and finding things that matter. Bryce is bouncing around and feeling chaotic when he grabs hold of the skateboard. Having something to focus on and learn and grow with helps him have an anchor. It doesn’t miraculously make his life perfect, but skating does help him make changes.
The medicine wheel is visually present on the cover and at the beginning of each chapter. There are references to it many times in the book as one might expect. The medicine wheel along with relationships, culture, and healing are all central to Bryce’s story.
Recommendation: Get it now. This is a compelling story of family, friendship, community, and finding a way through some of the hardest parts of life. It’s a memorable story and will speak to the hearts of readers.
Extra:
Publisher: Heartdrum
Pages: 352
Availability: On shelves now
Review copy: Final copy via publisher