I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

 

Over the weekend, I read I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day. This realistic fiction novel is about Edie Green, a 12-year-old girl in Seattle, Washington who dreams of becoming a filmmaker. The summer before she starts seventh grade, she and her friends, Serenity and Amelia, are working on an animated short film for a local youth film festival. When looking for a Popsicle mold in Edie's attic, the group of friends discover a box with photographs of a young woman, Edith Graham, who looks just like Edie. Although Edie has always known her mother was adopted by a white couple, Edie uncovers family secrets in the letters she reads, leading her to have new questions for her parents. With her mom skirting around the question of where Edie's name came from and her friendship with Amelia on the verge of blowing up, Edie is reluctant to ask her parents about Edith and her Native American family. Eventually, Edie decides to trust her parents to tell her the truth about her family's past.

I really enjoyed this novel of a middle school girl discovering her Native American identity. Although the secret of what happened to Edith and Edie's mother is devastating, the story had an uplifting ending that I thought was beautiful. I especially liked Edie's relationship with her Uncle Phil and her friendship with Serenity because they both gave her encouragement to ask her parents about the secrets they've been keeping. The novel was also educational about the civil rights issues that Native Americans have faced over the years, even relatively recently. I felt bad for Edie when her new braces hurt badly and she started to realize that her friendship with Amelia may be over. It was especially rough for Edie because Serenity was on a camping trip with her dad where she had no cell service. Edie didn't really have anyone to turn to during that time. I'm really glad that Edie found the courage to ask her parents about Edith and the box from the attic, though. Additionally, I have to mention how gorgeous the cover is. It makes me want to visit the Seattle area with its mountains and seafront. I Can Make This Promise is extraordinary and anyone who loves stories about family and friendship should read it.