Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Indigenous teens connect in inventive, linked stories.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN begins with "Maybe It Starts," the story of Maggie, a Chickasaw/White teen in Arkansas with a complicated relationship with her mother. In the aftermath of a tornado, Maggie steps through a door and suddenly finds herself at Sandy June's, where she has a surprising meeting with her mother. In "Look Away," a fourteen-year-old Aleut/Alutiiq girl in Sitka, Alaska has a crush on a boy who doesn't seem to even notice her, until they meet at Sandy June's. A Muscogue girl from Oklahoma learns a lesson about not holding a grudge in "Patent Red," when she and a Menominee Apache boy go through an exit at the Santa Fe, New Mexico airport and find themselves at Sandy June's. There's an joyful reunion in the poem "Braving the Storm," when a Native Hawaiian/White teen mourning the death of her beloved grandfather finds him working at Sandy June's and a Cherokee girl on a reluctant first date finds the evening will have a most unexpected ending in "Hearts Aflutter."
Is It Any Good?
This captivating anthology by Native American writers seamlessly weaves fantasy with stories of first love, forgiveness, hope, and unlikely family reunions. Almost any teen will be able to identify with a character or story in Legendary Frybread Drive-In, whether it's about conflict with a parent, a seemingly hopeless crush, mourning a loss, or trying something new and intimidating. With it's inventive structure, cultural rootedness, and universal experiences make this a great pick for most teens.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about which story in Legendary Frybread Drive-In mirrors an experience in their own lives. Did your "story" have the same ending?
If you could create a drive-in that moved through space and time, who would your customers be, what kind of food would you serve, and what message would you want to send to the teens who come to your drive-in?
Does your family have a food like frybread that represents your culture or heritage? Have you learned to make it?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Short Stories
- Topics : Arts , Baking , Book Characters , Competition , Cooking , Family Stories , Friendship , History
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Humility
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Heartdrum
- Publication date : August 26, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
- Number of pages : 352
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 25, 2025
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