The Ribbon Skirt
Anang is a two-spirit, nonbinary kid trying to find their place in their Indigenous community and at school. At the upcoming summer powwow, Anang asks their grandmother if they can make and wear a ribbon skirt; a traditional part of the regalia for Anishinaabe women. Anang’s grandmother thinks it is a great idea; however, seeing Anang’s doubts, she suggests that Anang ask the spirits for guidance. The spirits, in the form of turtles, crows, and the great lake nearby, help Anang feel more like themself as they gather the four necessary items to make the perfect ribbon skirt representation.
Along the way, Anang also gets help from their friends, Sherry and Miigwan. Miigwan accepts Anang as two spirit, but Sherry doesn’t understand and isn’t very good at communicating what she’s feeling. Eventually, the two friends come to a better understanding of their situations: Sherry feels pressure from classmates to avoid Anang and wants things to feel normal after her parents’ divorce; Anang doesn’t understand why other people can’t accept that they are nonbinary.
I love that this book exists. Reading is all about learning about things you haven’t experienced for yourself, and this book showcases nonbinary feelings and Indigenous culture written by someone who understands both. It’s clear that he wants to reach any reader who is interested in this story as there are notes about the language used by the characters with footnote translations (Southwestern Ojibwe or Minnesota Dialect of Ashishinaabemowin), a glossary of terms, and historical notes about ribbon skirts and powwows as well as an invitation to attend as a guest with suitable advice about dos and don’ts.
The color illustrations convey the character’s emotions through facial expressions. Color is important as a story element because it shows the diversity of skin tones represented and is a subtle way to show how each character relates to their gender.
I would highly recommend this for any classroom or middle grade focused collection. If you put it in a classroom library, please know that there is some discussion of gendered bathroom usage but no depictions of the usage nor is there any nudity.
The Ribbon Skirt
By Cameron Mukwa
Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2024
ISBN: 9781338843255
Publisher Age Rating:Â 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16)
Creator Representation: Anisinaabe, Two Spirit ,
Character Representation: Anisinaabe, Nonbinary, Two Spirit,
