Have you ever eaten fry bread? If not, this book may tell you how. How does fry bread continue to bring people together? What do the baskets holding the fry bread and the ceramic mixing bowls tell us about the traditions of various Native tribes. But there is much more to the story of fry bread. The aunt brings the little ones together and they share a communal joy eating the newly cooked fry bread. It is now in many shapes and colors depending on the construction of the dough. Out of the skillet comes the tasty fry bread. The children watch with eager anticipation and their mouths begin watering at the thought of the hot, freshly cooked fry bread. As the sizzling grease pops, he drops the dough into the skillet. Soon, the dough is made and the youngsters hold their shaped fry breads and hand them to the father for frying.

The important thing is that everyone is helping everyone else and the cooking process is filled with joy. Other times, they make the dough into the shapes of balls. Sometimes they create fry breads that look like tortillas. The children then begin to form the Fry Bread into many shapes. The aunt uses her strong arms to mix the dough. The children place all the ingredients into a big ceramic bowl and begin to joyfully mix the dough. She holds the family recipe and directs the process of blending the flour, salt, water, cornmeal, baking powder, milk, and hopefully, sugar.

The book begins with Native children bringing all the Fry Bread ingredients to their aunt. This is the story of Fry Bread, one of the tasty delicacies eaten in many Native gatherings. Kevin Maillard, a member of the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma, tells readers about one of the delightful traditions found in most Native tribes. However, throughout this depressing history certain Native traditions endured.

Though the Native cultures influenced American culture and the English language, too often governmental policies belittled and robbed Native tribes. Continuously, during the expansion of the United States westward from the Atlantic Ocean, Native people were deprived of their land and sometimes violently attacked. The history of Native American tribes and the United States Government is fraught with violence and warfare. Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2019, 48 pages, K-3. “Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story”īy Kevin Noble Maillard, Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Fry bread story