Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange, the long-awaited sequel to Tommy Orange’s famous book There There, which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and won many awards, is called Wandering Stars. This story connects the terrible Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 with the harsh days at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, and continues the story from There There about Orvil Red Feather’s shooting.

In 1864, a young boy named Star survives the Sand Creek Massacre. He is taken to a prison called Fort Marion, where a strict guard named Richard Henry Pratt forces him to learn English and practice Christianity. Pratt later starts the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which tries to erase Native American history, culture, and identity. A generation later, Star’s son Charles is sent to this same school, where he faces even more abuse from the man who once hurt his father. Charles holds on to the small moments he shares with his friend, Opal Viola, dreaming of a better future away from the violence that has affected their families for so long.