The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories

Cautionary Fables & Fairytales

by Kate Ashwin (Editor), Kel McDonald (Editor), Alina Pete (Editor)

Tricksters? Rabbits? Rougarou?

Shapeshifters so frightening you shouldn't speak their name? That's just the start of this collection of folklore from the Indigenous people of North America, retold in comic form.

The fifth volume of the Cautionary Fables and Fairytales graphic anthology series is a thrilling, funny and totally unexpected take on stories spanning North America, with loads of traditional stories from Indigenous Nations such as the Taíno, Navajo, Odawa, and more!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Short Stories, Fiction, Indigenous

135 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2022

About the author

Kate Ashwin has been getting away with putting stories on the internet for over twenty years now, with only mild damage to herself and those around her. Her favourite things are cheese, all manner of beasts, green leafy houseplants, and telling you stories about a bunch of goofy nerds.

She lives in Bradford, West Yorkshire, with her impatient cats and a very understanding husband.

Reviews

[Malli (Chapter Malliumpkin) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC was given by NetGalley & Iron Circus Comics.

Release date: (April 5th, 2022)


My heart, my freaking heart is so damn full right now! There aren’t enough words to convey how happy I am to have an arc of this graphic novel anthology right now. I ended up missing out on requesting an arc for this anthology and had it wish-listed, and as fate would have it, while on vacation I was surprised with this sliding into my library. If you haven’t heard me talk about how emotional I get every time I get a book by a Native/Indigenous author/s then here it is right here. I’m so emotional, so so grateful, and very privileged to have this right now.

As an Apache reader, book blogger, this anthology means the world to me just as all literature I receive by Native/Indigenous authors. If you would have told a very young, child Malli that I would be able to see more Indigenous people in literature that isn’t from a stereotypical lens and actually by Indigenous authors, I probably would have laughed and then broke down into sobs. Growing up as an urban Native and as someone who has spent years reconnecting with one’s heritage; you end up missing a lot of things, you can’t always go to PowWow, your elders aren’t always available to teach you, you have to devote large portions of time to learning your dialect (in my case, Eastern and Western Apache), and so on. So receiving this anthology, seeing stories I recognize, having heard these stories from my elders or others of my own age, it just means everything to me. It is everything .

As always for my anthology reviews, I have mini reviews for all the short stories where I talk about my thoughts, feelings, and include content/trigger warnings.



➸ As It Was Told To Me by Elijah Forbes (Odawa) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a story about creation and The Creator, and about life. This story had me super emotional because I couldn’t help thinking about a similar story I was told from my Auntie. It got me really emotional and soft thinking about her and when she told me about how creation was a sort of awakening, how Creator created other gods/deities, and the way everything came into being. Reading this story, I just felt instant connection and just reminded that even if the story is slightly different, all tribes are connected to each other because of a story like this one.

“They were the most sacred being, feminine and masculine. Not in parts, but both at the same time.”

➸ Chokfi by Jordaan Arledge & Mekala Nava (Chickasaw) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This story is about how animals became vain because of their coats. Chokfi being a very proud rabbit, became curious after hearing about Otter’s coat being the most beautiful and his plot to make Otter’s coat his. I think the Trickster stories are always my favorite stories to hear from my elders because each story is different depending on the tribe. For example, a lot of Apache trickster stories revolve around coyote (which I feel in modern day is used, along with foxes, as trickster icons). Look, I’m not saying I’m biased, but this was one of my favorite stories from this anthology.

➸ White Horse Plains by Rhael McGregor (Métis/Cree) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Brief mentions of starvation, brief scenes/mentions of violence, and brief scene of implied death

Honestly, this was the story that held my attention the most. This story revolves around the growing conflict between the Sioux & Assiniboine and the Cree. I find that so many stories in literature (in general) constantly revolve around the colonization and the wars that constantly broke out during that whole time period, but we never see the struggles and conflicts between different tribes very often. And for me, this story was the main reason this anthology caught my attention in the first place. I had only heard faint whispers about the White Horse Plains, but never had a chance to ask anyone about it or get the chance to research into the story itself to learn more. And this was both sad, tragic, but understandable and beautiful in some ways.

“It’s believed the spirit of the bride resides within him, helping steer those who are lost or misguided onto the right path so that they do not fall into a tragic fate.”

➸ The Rougarou Maija Ambrose Plamondon & Milo Applejohn (Métis) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mentions of killing animals, mentions loss of loved one (in the past), grief

I think this one surprised me the most out of all these stories. The stories of the Rougarou are something that I’m very partial too and I guess in a way, I connected with this particular story on a very deep, emotional and personal level. This story is about a young child to encounters a Rougarou and befriends the Rougarou, and the story behind this child’s Rougarou friend. This story, though short, has beautiful themes and I cried reading this whole story. I think this is going to be my most loved and preferred story of the Rougarou thus far.

“You put yourself in potential danger because you could sense help was needed. Facing your fear is a great sign of bravery.”

➸ Agonjin In The Water by Alice RL (Ojibwe) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If there was ever a story to remind you of how sacred water is, let this one story be it. If you don’t know, water is very sacred to Native/Indigenous people especially the plains tribes because droughts can be intensely rough to get through. This story does a fantastic job of emphasizing the importance of water and also the importance of story telling. And the artwork really helped paint a vivid picture for the reader.

“I cherished these stories and would love to share them with others as I grew older. And as I grew older, the water, our source of life, began to change.”

➸ The Woman In The Woods by Mercedes Acosta (Taino) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Honestly, my breath hitched reading this story. For starters, this was my first time reading any story from the Indigenous people of the Caribbean. However, everything about this story was just so beautiful and the artwork really added to the beauty of this story. I wanted a few more pages of this story because I was just fully enthralled by everything, but I’ll settle for the few in this anthology. It was just so good and so breath-taking.

“Be careful of what you accept from spirits. Accepting their gifts binds you to them. Though some of us were never meant to be with anyone else.”

➸ Into The Darkness by Izzy Roberts & Aubrie Warner (Navajo) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If there was one story I wasn’t expecting to encounter, it was this short story right here. And I should have known from the synopsis of the book, too! However, I ignored my gut feeling and thought, “No, it wouldn’t possibly be…” and then it was. I bamboozled myself! But in all honesty, just the fact that I know what this story is about and how vividly remember my aunties and uncle telling me about this… Shivers and chills, down my spine. If you know, you know, and if you don’t then count your blessings.

➸ By The Light Of The Moon by Jeffrey Veregge & Alina Pete (S’Kallam) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Again, this seems like an obvious story I’d love, but any stories that revolve around the moon and I just immediately swoon. This story is about how the Moon fell in love with the Octopus Queen, and how some marine life became bioluminescence. I loved this story, from start to finish. I think starting the story from the perspective of two divers and concluding the way it did was chef’s kiss. This is definitely another favorite that now lives in my brain, rent free.

“Her movements were a ballet that spoke directly to the Moon’s soul.”

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.


Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Rougarou" is the best one here. But a good collection all around.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say that everything that Iron Circus Comics does is gold doesn’t quite explain why I love their anthologies so much. This is the fifth of their Cautionary Fables and Fairy Tales, and in this volume the stories are written by North American First Nations, Metis and Native Peoples based on stories they have heard, and want to pass down, or variations therein.

The Woman in the Woods has lovely stories, and scary stories, and stories that are so wonderful, with illustrations so fluid, such as the picture of the octopus woman dancing in the sunlight drifting down to her cave or the creator deciding to create life on earth, even though it will be good mixed with evil, or a mishipeshu, the guardian of lakes and rivers, or of a horse that was once human that gave it up for power.

Some are stories that are firmly in the past, some are contemporary, but all have elements of the stories passed down.

There are trickster rabbit stories. There are monsters that were once human, and there are tales of a ghost horse that along with the bride that bonded with it, helps those in need.
Wonderful collection. Highly recommend it, as I would all the other books in the series.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Bibliophileverse · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of folklore tales from North America. The stories are some of the unheard ones. But, all the stories are not so amazing. The first and the last story were a bit exciting. Graphics are not good enough. Although, the book is a short read and perfect for children. I would only give 3 stars to the book. Had high expectations from the publisher as I have read some other books by them. Stories are not at all creepy enough like they claim. So be ready for a very light read.

Read more on https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7mKFzLx1e/

[Kayleigh Wiebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! The style of storytelling reminds me of the Indigenous collections I read as a kid. It’s definitely meant and written for a younger audience, so keep that in mind while reading. I think this book would be great for 10-12 year olds, and I’m going to be sharing my copy with my nephew!

My favourite story was The Rougarou. I loved the art and the sweet story. I also enjoyed White Horse Plains (although, maybe I’m biased though because I’m Cree) and I thought Into the Darkness was pretty creepy for a middle grade book. And I loved the turtle art throughout the book 🐢❤️

[Jess Witkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cool compilation anthology featuring all indigenous authors and illustrators. I loved that each story had its own look and feel. The tribes are all identified in the table of contents and sometimes within each story. Reading the creator bios, many of the authors/illustrators are also two-spirits and trans so it's a very inclusive work.

The stories themselves include creation stories, trickster tales, helps from nature spirits, and eerie monster tales too. The book is a fast read, each story moves very quickly and is told in a short amount of time.

Personally, the artwork is what made me love the book the most. The stories are fun, but having different art styles to enjoy with each story made this book truly unique and cool for the reader. Loved it! I plan to check out others in this anthology series.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why the rabbit has a scut... A girl that's brave enough to get water for her tribe from a lake spirit... How the forests are peopled by monsters with an almost vampiric way of passing their monstrousness on to others, or ghosts borne out of unfortunate combat between First Nations, or something else entirely... There are certainly some misses with the hits here, but this collection of stories from the First Nations of America does go some to show their concerns, and how current storytelling can be based on their traditional narratives. And with said peoples getting representation in more modern media, this is the real thing, right from the horse's mouth so to speak. Three and a half stars.

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat graphic short story collection of various North American Indigenous tales. I liked how it not only told many traditional myths, but also had some queer/two-spirit framing for some of the stories (especially since a lot of the authors are trans or nonbinary). Not every story or every illustration style worked for me, but a bunch of them did. Overall, very worth picking up!

Content Warnings:
injury, murder, loss of bodily autonomy

[Sam Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[megan parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

incredible short stories of the legends and stories passed on from the Indigenous lens

[Sara G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I backed this on Kickstarter, and I'm glad I did, because it's a lovely little volume of illustrated stories written and drawn by indigenous artists. My main beef is wishing it were longer and even more inclusive of different North American traditions.

Things I especially liked:
* Storytelling was often part of the story, in various ways
* This wasn't a set of distanced, "once upon a time" tales - many centered or interacted with modern people

The title story was my favorite, closely followed by the two before it ("Agonjin in the Water" and "The Rougarou"). Four stars for what it is, within the genres it occupies.

[Colleen Villasenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I have always loved legends and mythology, which are the basis for most of the stories in it. I love that the first story is a short little story about 2-spirit people. I also appreciate the fact that all of the authors are indigenous Americans, and the majority are LGBTQIA2S. Several of the stories centered on kindness and acceptance, but I also enjoyed the humorous story by the Navajo author

[Alysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed these stories a lot. It truly makes you rethink stories for children. Each culture has its own rich history and fables. It’s exciting to get a peak into different beliefs and ways of thinking.

[Meepelous · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book on my library's new acquisitions page and quickly decided to make it my Indigenous read for the month.

Unlike most comics that I pick up this book does not seem to include any direct rating, but it was shelved in my library's teen section. Which struck me, in my very unprofessional opinion, to be about right.

Keywords that came to mind reading this anthology: creation, explanations, community, family, and culture.

Flipping the book over to read the back. "Trickster Rabbit? Rougarou? Shapeshifters so frightening you shouldn't speak their name? That's just the start of this collection of folklore from the Indigenous people of [so called] north america, retold in comic form. This fifth volume of the Cautionary Fables and Fairy tales graphic anthology series is a thrilling, funny and totally unexpected take on stories spanning [so called] north america, with loads of traditional stories from Indigenous Nations such as the Taino, Navajo, Odawa, and more!"

The stories included are as follows:
As it Was Told to Me (Odawa) created by Elijah Forbes; Chokfi: Inspired by Chickasaw Tales of Chokfi the Trickster Rabbit by Jordaan Arledge and Mekala Nava; White Horse Plains (Metis/Cree) drawn by Rhael McGregor with story consult Sylvia Boyer; The Rougarou (Metis) by Maija Ambrose Plamodon and Milo Applejohn; The Woman in the Wood (Taino) by Mercedes Acosta; Into the Darkness (Navajo) by Izzy Roberts and Aubrie Warner; and By the Lihgt of the Moon (S'Kallam) by Jeffrey Veregge and Alina Pete.

Reading through the comic and then the creator bio section I was very happy to see so much diversity of tribe representation, story types, sexuality, gender and art styles. We even got some neurodiversity.

It is certainly a very short anthology, but it only meant I was left wanting more. Which isn't necessarily the worst thing.

Each story was self-explanatory and well contained.

Grey scale isn't my favourite; I prefer black and white or colour. But I can understand why they did it.

[Eli Poteet · Rating 3 out of 5]

As It Was Told to Me and The Rougarou are by far my favorite narratives, i appreciate the art styles and motiffs hella in both of those graphic art stories. I wonder why the title is what it is, I wonder what the previous 4 volumes contain, I wonder about what I have to contribute.

[J MaK · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.7) This book brought more insight and perspective into values, principles, and even mischief that is mirrored throughout indigenous culture.

[Cecelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my own years in school ended and before my teaching days, I didn’t take much notice of themed months of the year. For instance, did you know that November is National Native American Heritage Month in the United States? I didn’t! Luckily it’s been mentioned in several teaching and book publishing newsletters I subscribe to. What I find helpful is that those newsletters often come with book recommendations or lists included – titles that I can add to the shelf to make my classroom library (or even just personal library!) a little more inclusive and representative of my students and the US as a whole. One book I haven’t seen on any lists but want to make sure you know about is the young adult graphic novel anthology Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories, edited by Kel McDonald, Kate Ashwin, & Alina Pete. It is the fifth installment in the Cautionary Fables & Fairytales series, and if the others are anything like this slim volume, they are treasures!

The Woman in the Woods is an excellent collection of Native American legends and stories from across North America. While the title of the series is Cautionary Fables & Fairytales, these are no gory, fright-filled stories. Instead, they read like the sort of tales you’d share around a campfire – a little bit of cultural history, a dash of tall tale, and an uncanny thing that happened to someone you know/one of your ancestors, etc. They range from a creation tale that deals with two spirit and trans identity to a diving encounter with a monstrous octopus on the sea floor of the Puget Sound.

While each chapter was written and illustrated by a different duo (and is handed down from/told according to different indigenous peoples and traditions), a universal theme running throughout all of them is acceptance of difference, the other, and the strangeness that is present in the world. A couple of the stories deal with some element of gender nonconformity, and others speak to a diverse understanding of how humans function in society. Some are teaching tales; some merely point to the unexplained and ask the reader to make of it what they will. Some aim to make the reader uncomfortable, or to challenge their disbelief.

The standout comic of the collection is the Métis story The Rougarou by Maija Ambrose Plamondon, illustrated by Milo Applejohn. This story’s length (a bit longer than the others included in the volume), gorgeously detailed line art, and theme of transformation all combine to create an exceptional entry. I will be keeping an eye on Plamondon & Applejohn’s work in the future!

The art throughout the volume is in black and white and styles vary from artist to artist. Several employ strong or thick line work and varying shades of gray and black for a feeling of heaviness and (at times) menace. While the standout is mentioned above, there was no weak link – the writing and art in the volume is strong all the way through.

In all, The Woman in the Woods is a varied anthology in terms of setting, societies, norms, and time periods. It’s an interesting collection, and an important one for libraries large and small!

Recommended for: fans of fables and fairy tales, especially those adapted into graphic novel format, anyone looking to diversify their shelves with more indigenous American literature, and readers ages 10+ who are interested in campfire tales they may not have heard before!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I flew right through this collection and was thoroughly entertained the whole time. The stories were informative, entertaining, representative, and interesting. Also being a reconnecting native, I enjoyed getting to read these stories and seeing this art by a collective of native people. There were even some tribes represented that I had not managed to read from yet, like Odawa, so that was nice. It’s a wonderful way for people to realize and recognize that tribes are all different and I think this collection shows that while still tying us all together.

For the content of each story, I think each holds it’s own and have a place to shine equally. With a lot of collections there will be some that dramatically outshine the others and this one feels like a fairly level playing field, where people’s favorites might just be the one they can relate to the most rather than what’s most well written or entertaining because they each have those qualities.

Each story also stays fairly on theme by being a cautionary tale or fable. Maybe not so much the first one, but I can see it for plenty of the others. It is also rich with diversity from the authors, illustrators, etc which is very exciting. It might not be represented in each story or given highlight, but knowing who these stories came from gives them a whole new life.

This is aimed for middle grade readers and I think it would be the perfect book. Each are fairly simple to follow, and with it being a quick read, I can see it holding their attention. The illustrations are also beautiful and provide some added input for more visual readers. My one complaint is that in a few of the stories it was hard to tell the order of dialogue. It’s not a major issue to get back on track but it does take you out of the story. I found this most notable in the story “The Rougarou.”

What I also liked about this for middle grade readers was that even if it does get into cautionary tales, it does so without being too heavy or dark or with tons of triggers. That leaves the door wide open for most readers and can be something on the lighter side for them to consume while also providing context into indigenous cultures and entertainment. I can see kids really enjoying this collection, and even adults, like myself.

With a wide variety of stories, there is something for everyone.

TW: guns, hints at death, death, injured animal.
Rep: two-spirit, trans, non-binary authors.
Tribes: Odawa, Chickasaw, Metis/Cree, Ojibwe, Taino, Navajo, and S’kallam.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Disclaimer: I received a free advanced readers copy of The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories is a graphic novel collection of short stories of First Nations myths and stories.  It was published on April 5th, 2022.  I rated it 4 stars on Goodreads.


Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Loup Garrou, trickster rabbits, and spirits with names that can’t be spoken -- the plains and forests of North America are alive with characters like these, all waiting to meet you in this collection of folklore retold in comics!
This fifth volume of the “Cautionary Fables and Fairytales” anthology series features updated takes on ancient stories from tribes spanning the continent, bursting with bedside tales that are thrilling, chilling, and most of all inspiring. Featuring the work of JORDAAN ARLEDGE, MAIJA AMBROSE PLAMONDON, MILO APPLEJOHN, and more!

I had a lot of fun reading this collection.  I really enjoyed learning about different stories from different First Nations groups.  I also liked that all of the stories were written and illustrated by Indigenous people.  That was important to me when I started to read this collection.

Each of the stories had a compelling aspect to it.  I liked that they each had different art stles and a title page to separate them.  It was very interesting to see how the stories each played out.  They were all very well done and unique.

I liked that each story had a unique approach to how the story was told.  Some were more narrated, while others made you more a part of the action through lots of dialogue.  I felt like i learned a lot about different groups, and it all felt very educational.

Overall, I highly recommend that you check out this collection!

[Doc · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 5th Cautionary Fables and Fairytales comic collection

To be honest although the stories and art are not bad they are not exceptional in any way either though some of the tales can be interesting and this series of books is a good gateway to children interested in discovering the original and far less modernized stories based on Native American Lore. Another thing I like about this book is in the table of content we can see which tribes the stories within come from so it is even easier to find the original if so inclined. There is also a section at the end of the book that talks about the creators of these tales in more detail for those interested in such things. Now for a little hopefully spoiler free synopsis of what to expect within these covers.

As it Was Told To Me "Odawa Tale - The origin of everything in the world."

Chofki "Chickasaw Tale - How Rabbit wanted to be the most stylish animal."

White Horse Planes "Métis/Cree Tale - Tribal politics, love, and the spirits that guide."

The Rougarou "Métis Tale - A kind boy finds a monster and befriends him."

Agaonjin In the Water "Ojibwe Tale - A girl desperate to find water for her tribe finds a friend too."

The Woman in the Woods "Taino Tale - Love takes many forms though the trials of said love can be harsh."

Into the Darkness "Navajo Tale - Superstition of creatures that should not be named and the test of courage to see if they are real."

By the Light of the Moon "S'Kallam Tale - Scuba diving and a tale of Moon longing for Octopus."

Of the stories within I have found "The Rougarou" to be my favorite for both story and art but I have to say "By the Light of the Moon" is easily my second favorite. Hopefully if you read this book you will discover your own favorites. :)

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more bookish thoughts, see my blog: Craft-Cycle

A fantastic collection of comics that center around Indigenous folklore. Each story has its own unique spin. Some are framed as a story told to another, while others throw the reader right into the action of the tale itself.

Great variety of story and illustrative styles. A fun fix of traditional stories and retellings. Features lore from various Nations including Odawa, Chickasaw, Métis, Cree, Ojibwe, Taino, Navajo, and S'Kallam. Some of the stories are unsettling, others are heartwarming and sweet, some are full of sorrow, others are made of magic.

My favorite tales were "The Rougarou" by Maija Ambrose Plamondon and Milo Applejohn, "Agonjin In The Water" by Alice Rl, and "The Woman In The Woods" by Mercedes Acosta. I also really enjoyed "As It Was Told To Me" by Elijah Forbes.

A fantastic collection with great variety. Covers various themes of friendship, acceptance, helping others, and love, while also exploring some darker tones.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories by Kate Ashwin, Kel McDonald, and Alina Pete is a graphic novel and the fifth volume of the “Cautionary Fables and Fairytales” anthology series. I have not seen the previous volumes, but I will be on the lookout for them. Loup Garrou, trickster rabbits, and spirits with names that can’t be spoken — the plains and forests of North America are alive with characters like these, all waiting to meet you in this collection of folklore from tribes spanning the continent retold in comics.

The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories is a lovely collection of stories. I thought the artwork was a great pairing with the stories and did a wonderful job of telling the stories. I had heard or read a few legends that touched on the same ideas, but I had never seen these exact tales before, which always makes me happy. I thought that there was much respect and honor tied into the stories, which is not always the case in folklore or legend collections. I thought the variety of tales, and the skill they were told with were fantastic. My only complaint is that I wanted more, which I can partially solve by finding the other volumes of this series.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by and about Native Americans, mostly in a sort of folktale-type narrative. You know the type: Why the rabbit has a short tail, that sort of story. A couple are "horror" stories in that they involve monsters/shapeshifters, but they aren't really horror in the sense of being scary with the usually downer ending that I don't like in most horror stories ("the evil is stopped... FOR NOW"). I guess they're more like ghost stories, possibly?

The artwork is beautiful, though the stories are... most of them are good, but the odd one or two I didn't really understand. I do like the straightforward fables (aforementioned "rabbit has short tail" and etc.) and the ones with happy endings, but... I don't know. The ones I didn't understand, I can't even describe why. It's like if someone started telling a story, and I tried to follow along, but when the story ended, I just felt like, "...is that it?" Like I missed a point somewhere.

I still think it's a good read. Possibly those odd ones could have benefitted from being longer? The longer stories were definitely good (The Rougarou, Agonjin in the Water), and I definitely have and will buy more copies for the little library to find new fans, haha...

[Dione Basseri · Rating 5 out of 5]

So...when is the next Cautionary Fables & Fairytales book out? Because I'm now caught up, with this book, and I need more. Each one is a delight, focusing on the folklore and mythology of different geographic regions and ethnic groups, and this time, we focus in on North American Indigenous stories. There's 8 tales in this volume, with stories from the Odawa, Chickasaw, Métis, Cree, Ojibwe, Navajo, and S'kallam.

Stories are often cautionary tales, so a lot of these have a light horror bent. Not much death, but more just danger. The best done is "Into the Darkness," about two men who make the mistake of bringing up a creature best not discussed (and so much NOT to be discussed that it's name is censored in the text itself)...right before spending a night alone in a camper van.

For a not-scary pick, the first tale, "As It Was Told To Me," is the Odawa creation story, as told at a Two-Spirit circle!

All stories are done in greyscale, so if you've got a black-and-white e-reader, go right on ahead! You're all set!

Advanced review copy provided by the publisher.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman in the Woods is a multi-author, multi-artist anthology of Native American fables, and I love that it starts with an explicitly trans pride/two-spirit story. Even though it's the only queer story in the anthology, it sets the tone and immediately shows the reader an aspect of modern Native culture.

Additional stories include a trickster tale, "monster" stories that encourage compassion for differences, and por quoi stories (why the rabbit has a short tail, how a real location got its name, etc.)

The stories are very short and often lack a resolution that will satisfy a white/European audience, but do get the reader to think about the story long after it ends. Oftentimes the story is framed by a modern storyteller + listener, which emphasizes that Native Americans live here and now and not just in the past. I admit that I was disappointed at first by the black-and-white artwork (young readers prefer bright colors), but the art itself is gorgeous and cohesive across the different artists.

[Lauren McCullough · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first time with this series, and would definitely be interested in checking out more from it.

THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS AND OTHER NORTH AMERICAN STORIES is a collection of re-imagined folklore by indigenous authors and illustrators. The nations represented include: Odawa, Chickasaw, Métis, Cree, Ojibwe, Taino, Navajo, S'Kallam.

As with any short story collection, there were some I really liked and others that weren't my favorite, but I always like hearing different voices and seeing such variety of art styles. I find that Native mythology isn't really taught here in the USA unless you seek it out specifically. This would be a great introduction for a younger reader. A quick and accessible read that will hopefully a jumping off point to seeking out more.

***Thank you to Letter Better Publishing Services and Iron Circus Comics for providing me with the ePub for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy the Cautionary Fables and Fairytales series, but this fifth collection just didn't come alive for me as the short stories noodled around in vague and boring ways.



FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• As It Was Told to Me (Odawa) / Elijah Forbes
• Chokfi: Inspired by Chickasaw Tales of Chokfi the Trickster Rabbit (Chickasaw) / Jordaan Arledge, author, & Mekala Nava, artist
• White Horse Plains (Métis/Cree) / Rhael McGregor, artist; Sylvia Boyer, story consult
• The Rougarou (Métis) / Maija Ambrose Plamondon, author, & Milo Applejohn, artist
• Agonjin in the Water (Ojibwe) / Alice RL
• The Woman in the Woods (Taino) / Mercedes Acosta
• Into the Darkness (Navajo) / Izzy Roberts, author and artist, & Aubrie Warner, letterer
• By the Light of the Moon (S'Kallam) / Jeffrey Veregge, author, & Alina Pete, artist

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of several stories told in graphic novel format, it features multiple creators and writers on the gender/sexuality spectrum and Indigenous representation in North America. Fortunately and unfortunately when you have multiple creators, a collection is usually uneven both because the storytelling is different for each person but also because the art is different too. It's not necessarily a negative but it does disrupt the overall work.

That aside, the stories featuring myth and folklore, especially trickster rabbits, changing monster creatures in the woods, water beings, and even a white horse that started a war through marriage have a strong sense of people, time, place, and story.

Favorites were "White Horse Plains" by Rhael McGregor and "Agonjin In the Water" by Alice RL.

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this graphic novel produced by indigenous artists and writers that reimagines Native American folklore. As with almost any collection, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I really appreciated the diversity of stories and art styles. Some stories were funny, some were intended to be scary, but my favorites were very sweet. I particularly loved learning about some mythical creatures that were new to me.

If you’re a fan of mythology, this is a great addition to your collection. While it is intended for middle grade readers, it should be enjoyable for a wide audience. It also offers LGBTQ representation, which I am happy to see.

Thank you to Iron Circus Comics for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shout-out to Netgalley for the e-arc!

Oh my goodness I gushed to my friends about this book all day long as I read it– no exaggeration. I love so much how there were legends from so many tribes included, most of which I hadn't had the pleasure of knowing about beforehand.

Indigenous tales are so rich and I'm so happy to see some recorded in such a way that respects tradition and marries it to a modern medium such as a graphic novel. Quite an ingenious idea.

The art is beautiful. Every tribe looks different from one another (as they should!) and I really loved the inclusion of trans Indigenous people, Two-Spirit Indigenous people, and Afro-Indigenous people. All of that representation is so important to include and record.

Thank you to the author, the contributors, and the artists. I will hold this book close to my heart for a long, long time.