Title: Willow’s Secrets
Author: Sally Avery Bermanzohn
Publisher: Epigraph books
ISBN: 978-1-948796-96-5
Pages: 181
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Margie Przybylski
Pacific Book Review
A follow-up to Indian Annie: A Grandmother’s Tale, Sally Avery Bermanzohn continues the tale of a Chickasaw Indian family with Willow’s Secrets. Willow is an Indian girl adopted by a white couple. She begins to question the color of her skin as she gets a little older and becomes best friends with her neighbor. Both of Bermanzohn’s books are important reads given the state of our culture in the United States today. Willow’s neighbor teaches her that “we’re all the same underneath” however she learns that not everyone treats others as though this is true.
This beautiful work of historical fiction is captivating and fun to read. Any age reader would enjoy this journey to the past. Willow grows up on a homestead – though homesteading is trendy in our current day and age, back then it was one of the only ways to survive. It is so interesting to learn how neighbors created a community among themselves and each played an important role in providing for each other.
Another significant social aspect Bermanzohn covers in this story is the concept of adoption. While Willow wrestles with the fact that she is adopted as she gets older, she learns to find a way to balance her upbringing with her roots. She is able to do so with the help of her neighbor. This may be a healing read for others who are adopted and can perhaps help them to relate. I believe many do not understand adoption or believe it to be a good solution when a child’s parents are not able to raise them. While Willow had a hard time coming to terms with her adoption, she was raised by two people who loved her very much. She reflected how happy she was that her parents talked to her and explained things rather than spanking when she did something wrong.
This is certainly a wonderful read for confident readers at any age level. There’s a great deal to learn not only from a historical sense but also during a societal examination of a variety of concepts present in the book. The coming-of-age tale of Willow is a great sequel to Indian Annie, another book written by Bermanzohn. The books can be read in any order, and both make for a great experience in or out of the classroom. While the characters come from a totally different time period, there is something relatable about each of them, allowing for the reader to learn more about themselves as they read.
