Girl Unreserved

by Tashia Hart

Girl Unreserved is a very intimate narrative told from the perspective of Winnow, a girl from the Red Lake Nation in Northern Minnesota. The story follows Winnow as she discovers her identity, gender, and sexuality are shaped both by the social environment she shares with others, and the spiritual landscape she carries inside of herself.

Other themes in this book: sexual assault in Indian Country; poverty, malnutrition, and their effects on the mental states of children; alcoholism; and the "IDGAF" mind set.

Girl Unreserved is a genre-bending tale based on the author's own coming-of-age and has woven into it elements of fiction, oral storytelling, and poetry.

Girl Unreserved was first published in 2015 in paperback and was the author's first book. She has since published three more books.

The 2025 hardcover of Girl Unreserved has updated content and a beautiful new jacketed cover.

Genres: Indigenous, Native American

142 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2025

About the author

Boozhoo, hello!

I’m an author, illustrator, and artist from the Red Lake Nation. My literary works include Patrick DesJarlait: Fine Artist (2026), Native Love Jams (2023), The Good Berry Cookbook: Harvesting and Cooking Wild Rice and Other Wild Foods (2021), Gidjie and the Wolves (2020) and Girl Unreserved (2015). My illustration work includes 5 books in the Minnesota Native American Lives series (2021-2026); as an assistant illustrator of Gaa-pi-izhiwebak (2021); and Gidjie and the Wolves (2020). My short works include recipes, essays, poetry, and short stories. I have worked in Indigenous kitchen, and gardens, and have led foraging walks and have a biology degree from Bemidji State University. I'm also a jewelry maker working in beads and birch bark and I live in Duluth, MN with my husband, son, and a box turtle named Humpy.

Author website: www.tashiahart.com
Instagram: @tashiamariehart
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tashia.hart.5
Twitter: @tashiahartbooks

Reviews

[Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this one, I'm normally a pretty tough grader of books very few of my 200 plus read books do I give five stars too, this one earn 5 stars for imaginative truth telling, clear spiritual connection, it was like the very best emotional intellectual 12 step share I've ever heard! It's as if this small child walks up and starts speaking and three hours later you realize you have been listening spellbound the entire time. This was really good, Ms. Hart is a heck of a good writer and she captured a growing up in poverty and abuse but she did it in a way that transcends the experience and I don't believe I have ever described a writer doing that before. I finished reading the book and I immediately started to read it again to my daughter. (I don't recall ever doing that either) Great book place on your must read shelf.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very, very interesting book that combines fiction and biographical narrative. The beginning is stunningly written; as the story unfolds the writing changes back and forth (and back) from lyrical to matter-of-fact to lyrical, and so on. This works well. The main character, Winnow Sticks, is truly engaging; her story is often heartbreaking yet she seems ever-hopeful. I was on her side and cheering for her ("You can do this!"). The story can be difficult to read because of the frankness of the narrative. It does end on a note of empowerment (and I found myself holding my breath as I read the last few pages, hoping she would be all right) and, really, optimism about a yet unseen future.

[Ozaawaa Giizhigoong · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The thing about water is that it wants to find more of itself, like it recognizes the goodness in being an ever bigger whole, and I find my own movement drawn onward by this same gathering.”

Loved the insight of Winnow, the main character. Her sharing of the blue bird story within Winnow's journey at the aunts boyfriends trampoline was very touching. This story is uniquely and reflectively told, and it makes sense that the author wrote this to aid her own healing. Though mature in content, this story is appropriate for a Native American youth audience, because it can help them make sense of their experiences.

[Kirsten Wiant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was touching and dark. I liked the different relationships the main character had with family members. The story was sometimes hard to follow as the dialogue often sounds like a stream of consciousness. This work is caught between having too much to say and not enough. The story is heartbreaking but also lovely, I loved the intimate insight.

[Elli Seltzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is beautiful language in this book and a lot of intelligent observations about loss and love. I'm so glad I read this very important story.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking story of a Native American girl from the Red Lake Reservation here in Minnesota. She is cut off from her grandmother who could have nourished her and "raised - I used the term loosely" by relatives who selfishly neglected and abused or allowed her to be abused. She must find her own way to loving herself and building a life. Recommend. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story and the writing is exquisite. So beautiful and intense.

[Moccasin Tracks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tashia asked Moccasin Tracks to write a review of her first Novella in a series: Broken Wings and Things. Girl Unreserved by Tashia Hart from the Red Lake Chippewa Nation in northern Minnesota is the name of the book that put me immediately on a roller coaster ride of a fierce understanding that broke my heart again and again.

Her main character, Winnow Sticks from the Red Lake Chippewa Nation tells the story that often recounts conversations with her Grandmother that are ‘coming of age’ tales and guiding messages of truth meant to speak to adults of all ages.

Sometimes as the character reflects we are gifted with poetry and short stories like one that starts; ” Blue Bird was singing one morning welcoming the sun with much excitement…” which are exquisite and push us to read this story with our hearts.

There are moments we embrace in celebration of healing for a moment we can laugh and grow with the character Winnow, beyond the inter-generational trauma, the assaults, the trauma from the story or from the real life and become the vision her Grandmother has for her.

Winnow says; ” I need to stop thinking myself to death, and release my love for the morning so that its color may fill up the world. And then I must always sing true. And so must You”.

Thank-you Tashia Hart for your story and allowing Moccasin Tracks to read and review. We look forward to talking with you on community radio!

https://tashiahart.wordpress.com/