Raven, Rising

Cherokee Nation citizen Derr makes her debut in this cozy, lived-in fantasy novel about a magical tween baker healing from loss. Twelve-year-old Raven Miller used to love to bake, a hobby she shared with her mother, who was white. Following her parents’ deaths, however, she stops baking. Newly arrived in Bear Creek Falls, where she now lives with her aunt Coral, Raven attempts to get back into a routine. But attending school proves just as isolating as staying home, especially when popular girls start spreading rumors that Raven is a witch who killed her parents. Things start looking up when Aunt Coral allows Raven to take in a stray cat and her kittens, and Raven befriends classmates Laurel and Hazel. Together, the tweens organize against their reproachful vice principal, whom they believe is unfairly targeting BIPOC students with dress code violations. As Raven grapples with grief and guilt, she simultaneously contends with feelings of disconnect from her culinary passions and her father’s Indigenous heritage. Warm and winning interactions between family and friends buoy the somber undercurrent that runs through each smoothly layered, expertly conceived plot thread. The outcome is a gentle, uplifting portrait of a tween seeking and finding support. Includes an author’s note and Cherokee glossary. Ages 8–12. (July)