Diné author/illustrator and librarian Julie Fiveash’s graphic novel debut is engaging, quirky, and surprisingly moving. Anura, a young frog who still has their tail (a sign of not-yet-adulthood), is spending the summer with their grandmother in Soggy Stump, a (fictional) Navajo community in the southwest. They love that the local library has manga, and are happy to take a job there—but the job becomes more than they anticipated when they are asked to help create a community archive (funded by the Amphibious Library Association) to help capture what makes Soggy Stump special.
Anura doesn’t even know what an archive is, but after speaking with a variety of community members, from their grandmother’s best friend to a surly emo teen, they begin to learn about the residents’ relationship with the land, the way weaving is a form of storytelling, and about newer forms of storytelling, like zines. At the same time, they examine their relationship to their own heritage, not having learned the language or many of the traditions, and come to see how a community needs more than just a collection of things to represent it. Anura’s nonbinary identity is a given, and never remarked upon.
Fiveash adds another layer to the story, too, when Anura’s Grandma must go into hospice care, leading to an exploration of grief, memory, and community that ties back to the earlier themes. Despite the sometimes heavy topics, though, Fiveash weaves in humor and whimsy to keep the story from cloying or feeling pedantic. There’s a delightful charm to it along with unexpected depth, making it highly recommended.
The book is targeted at middle grade readers by the publisher, which feels appropriate given the serious themes underneath, although the images have an appeal that could skew younger. Know the young people in your life and recommend (or read with them) accordingly.
Backmatter includes more about the characters, bonus comics, a brief Diné/Navajo glossary, and some notes from the author about Soggy Stump’s influences (and happily, an indication that we’ll see more stories in this froggy world).
