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Summer of the Ancient
How long can one girl handle the whole Ancient World by herself? "A plan began clotting in what our biology teacher called Wetware--my brain. What if I went to Concho Mountain and confronted the Ancient? What if I gave every stinking piece of old history back and ordered him to leave? Was that normal thinking . . . me hashing it out with someone that almost didn't exist?"
Silki, A young Navajo girl, thought she'd made up Wol-la-chee, the Ancient Ant Man, on one of her horseback rides with her best friend Birdie. When Wol-la-chee shrieks into her life one summer day on Concho Mountain, Silki's world turns upside down. With her family pushing her toward more responsibility and respect for her heritage, how can Silki find the time to solve this new and frightening mystery? If Birdie thinks Silki has gotten her real and unreal mixed up, will that push the two girls apart or bring them back together?
Silki, A young Navajo girl, thought she'd made up Wol-la-chee, the Ancient Ant Man, on one of her horseback rides with her best friend Birdie. When Wol-la-chee shrieks into her life one summer day on Concho Mountain, Silki's world turns upside down. With her family pushing her toward more responsibility and respect for her heritage, how can Silki find the time to solve this new and frightening mystery? If Birdie thinks Silki has gotten her real and unreal mixed up, will that push the two girls apart or bring them back together?
278 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2011
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Lea Stewart
10 books80 followers Hey there... thanks for visiting!
As the author of eight novels, I have a rather simple method for writing. I channel everything I’ve experienced, heard, seen, read, or researched into my readers through the tantalizing written word. I adore producing unexpected reading adventures in different parts of the world with characters difficult to forget.
I call myself a high-concept author with a literary pen because I firmly believe readers want to experience more than a plot or plot lines, more than nonstop action, and more than a quick genre formula. I think they want to know how the characters feel during their experiences, what they look like, what they wear, what they think, and how they are forever changed by what happens to them and because of them.
Latest launch: THE GOLD ROSE
February 2023
Next: Another Historical Fiction Novel, "The Bulls of ******" in 2025. I'll share the whole title soon.
As the author of eight novels, I have a rather simple method for writing. I channel everything I’ve experienced, heard, seen, read, or researched into my readers through the tantalizing written word. I adore producing unexpected reading adventures in different parts of the world with characters difficult to forget.
I call myself a high-concept author with a literary pen because I firmly believe readers want to experience more than a plot or plot lines, more than nonstop action, and more than a quick genre formula. I think they want to know how the characters feel during their experiences, what they look like, what they wear, what they think, and how they are forever changed by what happens to them and because of them.
Latest launch: THE GOLD ROSE
February 2023
Next: Another Historical Fiction Novel, "The Bulls of ******" in 2025. I'll share the whole title soon.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 22, 2012
I'm so thankful I picked-up this book to fill a reading blank in-between some heavy duty tomes on my reading pile. This is such a delightful story and Silki is unique and charming. I haven't read a great deal of YA, but Silki the Girl of Many Scarves is a good reminder of what I've been missing. Quick reading (which I really appreciated since my reading time is so limited) thoroughly likable characters, captivating setting, and a grand adventure holding it all together. I especially loved learning tidbits about Navajo traditions and culture that are skillfully interspersed throughout. And Silki herself; unique, funny, and genuine, is just the variety of intriguing character this reader is more than prepared to follow off into her next adventure.
March 16, 2013
Great for young adult girls. Deals with their problems while maintaining a great story line and suspensful mystery.
May 6, 2022
Summary
Silki the Girl of Many Scarves: Summer of the Ancient is a young adult Native American fiction by Jodi Lea Stewart and the first book to the series. The story revolves around Silki, a young Navajo teenager who thinks that Wol-la-chee, the Ancient Ant man who came about during her horseback adventure with her friend Birdie, is nothing but a figment of her imagination. But then, Wo-la-chee barges into her life one summer day on Concho Mountain, and her world turns upside down. Soon, she is faced with the pressure of her tribe’s heritage as her friendship with Birdie also starts to fall apart.
Review
Such a beautiful adventure story! It reminds me so much of my youth when nothing can stop my young mind’s curiosity from exploring. And doing that either gets you in trouble, instill a valuable lesson, or both. It’s mostly both.
I love Silki and Birdie! They are a joy to read. Two friends getting in trouble and having to be brave and try to save themselves makes this so exciting because they're young and have limited capabilities. Not knowing what’s going to happen to them kept me from putting this book down. Most especially because there can be criminals, wild animals, or Wo-la-chee in the dark mountain or wilderness.
Overall, I’m giving this book 5 out of 5 stars for its fascinating storyline, great world-building, adorable characters, amusing conversations, and life lessons. I highly recommend this story about friendship and heritage to readers who love Native American literature. It doesn’t matter what age you are, even if this book is for young adults, I enjoyed it when I’m already over 40!
Silki the Girl of Many Scarves: Summer of the Ancient is a young adult Native American fiction by Jodi Lea Stewart and the first book to the series. The story revolves around Silki, a young Navajo teenager who thinks that Wol-la-chee, the Ancient Ant man who came about during her horseback adventure with her friend Birdie, is nothing but a figment of her imagination. But then, Wo-la-chee barges into her life one summer day on Concho Mountain, and her world turns upside down. Soon, she is faced with the pressure of her tribe’s heritage as her friendship with Birdie also starts to fall apart.
Review
Such a beautiful adventure story! It reminds me so much of my youth when nothing can stop my young mind’s curiosity from exploring. And doing that either gets you in trouble, instill a valuable lesson, or both. It’s mostly both.
I love Silki and Birdie! They are a joy to read. Two friends getting in trouble and having to be brave and try to save themselves makes this so exciting because they're young and have limited capabilities. Not knowing what’s going to happen to them kept me from putting this book down. Most especially because there can be criminals, wild animals, or Wo-la-chee in the dark mountain or wilderness.
Overall, I’m giving this book 5 out of 5 stars for its fascinating storyline, great world-building, adorable characters, amusing conversations, and life lessons. I highly recommend this story about friendship and heritage to readers who love Native American literature. It doesn’t matter what age you are, even if this book is for young adults, I enjoyed it when I’m already over 40!
Currently reading
August 12, 2022This is a great novel for all ages. Love the story. Love the characters. Love the conflicts.
Summer of The Ancient (Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves Book 1) by Jodi Lea Stewart is a very good heartwarming read about a Navajo Indian girl named Silki who is having an adventure summer dealing with Wol-la-chee, the Ancient Ant Man. She has two dilemmas. She needs to get her childhood best friend Birdie to be interested in her adventure story again. At the same time, Silki needs to stop her mom from ruining her summer because her mom wants her to spend time helping the Dine Bizzaad Ya’at’eeh language project.
A complex and dynamic family relationship is told throughout the story. We have three generations living together under the same roof with different values and viewpoints. Grandma (nali) is a traditional weaver, mother (ama) is an educator, and Silki is a dreamer/explorer. If there is another theme, it is how Indian women's thinking and role have changed over time and how these three women of different ages can co-exist in harmony (Hozho) under the same roof.
The intense and engaging dialogs between these three women in the story make these characters so vivid and real. It is not an easy task to build bridges over the generation gaps. But, they try hard to play nice with each other. No wonder why Silki has such a challenge to get what she wants. This is Jodi's secret recipe for making her story telling so standout. Find out if Silki could please her grandma and her mom enough to get her summer adventure undisrupted. Sometimes family members can get in the way of reaching your dream. : )
Summer of The Ancient (Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves Book 1) by Jodi Lea Stewart is a very good heartwarming read about a Navajo Indian girl named Silki who is having an adventure summer dealing with Wol-la-chee, the Ancient Ant Man. She has two dilemmas. She needs to get her childhood best friend Birdie to be interested in her adventure story again. At the same time, Silki needs to stop her mom from ruining her summer because her mom wants her to spend time helping the Dine Bizzaad Ya’at’eeh language project.
A complex and dynamic family relationship is told throughout the story. We have three generations living together under the same roof with different values and viewpoints. Grandma (nali) is a traditional weaver, mother (ama) is an educator, and Silki is a dreamer/explorer. If there is another theme, it is how Indian women's thinking and role have changed over time and how these three women of different ages can co-exist in harmony (Hozho) under the same roof.
The intense and engaging dialogs between these three women in the story make these characters so vivid and real. It is not an easy task to build bridges over the generation gaps. But, they try hard to play nice with each other. No wonder why Silki has such a challenge to get what she wants. This is Jodi's secret recipe for making her story telling so standout. Find out if Silki could please her grandma and her mom enough to get her summer adventure undisrupted. Sometimes family members can get in the way of reaching your dream. : )
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews