The Storyteller

by Brandon Hobson

From National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson, a kaleidoscopic middle-grade adventure that mixes the anxieties, friendships, and wonders of a Cherokee boy's life with Cherokee history and lore. Ziggy has ANXIETY. Partly this is because of the way his mind works, and how overwhelmed he can get when other people (especially his classmate Alice) are in the room. And partly it's because his mother disappeared when he was very young, making her one of many Native women who've gone mysteriously missing. Ziggy and his sister, Moon, want answers, but nobody around can give them. Once Ziggy gets it in his head that clues to his mother's disappearance may be found in a nearby cave, there's no stopping him from going there. Along with Moon, Alice, and his best friend, Corso, he sets out on a mind-bending adventure where he'll discover his story is tied to all the stories of the Cherokees that have come before him. Ziggy might not have any control over the past -- but if he learns the lessons of the storytellers, he might be able to better shape his future and find the friends he needs.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Indigenous, Magical Realism, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure

224 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

Dr. Brandon Hobson is an American writer. His novel, Where the Dead Sit Talking, was a finalist for the National Book Award. He is an assistant professor of creative writing at New Mexico State University and also teaches at the Institute of American Indian Arts. He is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation Tribe of Oklahoma.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Storyteller is a but powerful middle grade novel. It addresses a couple really important and heavy issues such The Trail of Tears and the disappearance/kidnapping of Native women. The style of the story reminded me a little of the Alchemist and The Little Prince. It is realistic fiction but includes elements of spiritualism and traditional storytelling and will linger long after you finish reading.

This is a story of learning to let go and even though you can’t change the past, it is important to not forget it and to pass on the stories of the people and events that came before us.

Check out some of my favorite lines by searching the #Melissa’sGoldenLines.

I will definitely be pre-ordering this book for my middle school library!

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that's not quite what it appears to be. First it's a story about Ziggy whose mother has disappeared. Then it's a story about his anxiety and how he lives with it. Next it's a mystery adventure as he, his sister Moon, classmate Alice and friend Corsco set out to find out what really happened to his mother before finally turning out to be a fantastical quest where no one is quite who or what they appear to be. There's talking animals and people from the past.
Will Ziggy and Moon find their mother? Can they find their way home from their quest?
If you like the absurdity of Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There or stories told from the lens of Native Americans, give this a try.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed parts of this, but didn't think Ziggy's anxiety was always seemlessly woven into the narrative. It seemed like he had to remind us every once and a while that he had ANXIETY! Love Hobson as an adult writer, but not sure he's cracked the middle grade market.

[Faith]

Jan 25-27, 2024: DNF at 40%

*note to self: stop getting sucked in by pretty covers

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ziggy's mom vanished when he was barely old enough to remember-- a deeply unsettling pattern that affects Native women and their families far more often than you might think. He's hoping he can finally find some answers through Alice, a fellow Cherokee classmate who is familiar with their stories and history. The Storyteller is an all-night adventure between four kids, and it's a journey they will never forget. Hobson's middle-grade debut is thoughtful, moving, and even humorous at times, while also challenging colonial history and bringing awareness to MMIW, Missing Murdered Indigenous Women.

[JaTonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this would be a middle grade adventure, but it’s a grief-loss-coping-activism book.

This is perfect for children who have lost a loved one and trying to deal with grief.

Anyone reading over 40 will recognize musician names which made me laugh. This book has a strong heart.

[Mere_likes_2_Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

This really wasn’t very good.I liked the message it has but the story just isn’t that good.

[Paul Delacruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this heartwarming story about the disappearance of a mother and felt some strong emotions.

[Lynne O'Connor McDowell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of Native American stories. Good for fans of Alice in Wonderland.

[Kathy Maggiacomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this book is multicultural and draws attention to some historical facts about our country that we don’t discuss often. The Cherokee tribe and other tribes were forced off their land in the 1800s. This book helped focus on different Cherokee stories. I liked how this book talked about how the past can’t be changed and we should always be moving forward.
I liked how when characters had lost loved ones we can remember them by sharing stories.
This book tried to deal with a few heavy topics such as how Native American women often go missing and we never find out what became of them, the main character suffered from anxiety, and this book helped describe anxiety so a young person may learn how to deal with similar feelings if they are experiencing them as well.

In general, I enjoy books that feel believable, even if there are magical elements such as animals talking, but I struggled with quite a few things that this Author did that I did not like. For example, Ziggy is often picked up after school by his dad at his friend’s house and the drive is described as a 10 minute drive and longer if stopped by the train.. later he walks this distance and it doesn’t seem to take him very long plus after his long nighttime adventures and he is being driven. They drop all the kids off at his friends house and they are all exhausted yet. Why does the Uncle Not Drive Alice home and Ziggy home? They are left to walk back a distance that he never walks after school, this just doesn’t make sense to me.

I also didn’t like some of the violence in this book, considering it was written for upper elementary and middle school students. I didn’t like that his sister Moon tried to kill the armadillo with a 2 x 4 and although she only injured it, she expressed joy at trying to kill it, which bothered me. I also understand that some old cultural stories might have violence such as a group of Raven mockers that eat people’s hearts yet I didn’t not like them talking about that either.

Plus, I am confused as to whether Alice is a real girl or if she is a Nunnihi , spirit character that helps the Cherokee people. If she is a spirit, how were we able to meet her parents and learn about her sister that also disappeared like Ziggy’s mom?

Although arriving at the festival in a hot air balloon sounds pretty cool and the grandmother apparently drives across the country in a motorcycle. It also didn’t feel believable because how would Ziggy have not known about this and where did she suddenly blow a balloon and get to the festival with his friend?

I felt this book was very different and I enjoyed the magical time that they had wandering the desert at night, but considering people were going missing, I wouldn’t want a book to encourage children to wander the desert at night

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has heart and tackles the extremely important topic of missing/murdered indigenous women, but I just couldn't get into it. Frankly, I can't stand Alice in Wonderland stories and that's what this is. I am glad to see a diversity of Native books for all ages though.

[Nikola Milivojevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a very wise book. It has a lot available lessons that people should use. I’m just sad that Ziggy never finds his mother. It was a very good book it was one of the best chapter book I’ve ever read.

[Jennifer Blanco · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is forgettable. There is a scene in which an armadillo appears as Andrew Jackson; that was the highlight of the book for me.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

2025-26 Middle School Battle of the Books selection

Not really sure what to think about this one. While I can appreciate that the author wanted the MC to deal with anxiety, I didn't get a good idea of what Ziggy really copes with on a daily basis. If a character has to remind you about their ANXIETY (almost always in caps, btw, which I didn't care for), then it doesn't really seem like it's a big issue.

I wish there had been more about why so many Native American women disappear. While the author mentions that Ziggy's mom isn't the only one, and that police pretty much consider it a cold case, there's nothing more than a hint of the violence that most likely has been done to the missing. I know this is a juvenile title so I get not wanting to be graphic but it also feels wrong not to be a bit more specific.

Finally, the night adventures felt like a very long dream sequence, very Alice-in-Wonderland as many have mentioned. I found myself wondering if I was meant to believe all the things happened, or if this was really a dream, or if Ziggy was having some sort of out-of-body experience. I did enjoy some of the characters that he met during those adventures, but again, just very weird.

Not really my kind of book. Interesting that it ended up on this year's list, and I'm curious what the kids reading it think about it.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read and perfect for a middle school library. I read about this book in the newspaper. The article compared this book with The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary Schmidt. Both books deal with the grief of losing a loved one but both books are quite different.

In this book we meet Ziggy and his sister Moon. Their mother went missing 10 years ago when both Ziggy and Moon were quite young. Ziggy is on a quest to find his mother and thinks a secret cave might hold clues as to where she went.

This story talks about the Trail of Tears and the mysterious disappearance of Native American women.
The main character Ziggy also has anxiety and is dealing with family members who don't talk much about his mom (except for grandmom....she tells stories). This spirtiual quest was an unexpected turn but quite enjoyable. The quest and labours (of Hercules Beal) are similar in how to deal with grief. I really enjoyed the strong relationship that develops between a father and son.

This story is about letting go though never forgetting. While he can’t change the past, he can learn about his mom and his culture by the stories told.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really well written middle grade novel about Ziggy, a young Cherokee boy with anxiety who is determined to find his missing mother. I liked the mental health rep and the way the author highlights how the MMIWG affects young people too - those left behind to mourn and grieve. The story also blends Cherokee lore and legends in a way that is fantastical and clever. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like David Robertson.

[Miss Syreena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciated the message and themes of the book (anxiety and grief). The execution was rough at times but not enough that would distract from someone who enjoys the characters and an alice in wonderland type of adventure. It would be worth having a conversation with a young reader about these topics to help them understand.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book for middle schoolers. Imaginative, realistic, historical, and “weird”. Cherokee culture influenced. Ziggy, 6th grader, is an endearing main character. I loved the story of the Nunnehi.

[Kat]

Great anxiety rep and inclusion of the Trail of Tears / Indigenous history. Includes important lessons / advice about dealing with loss and being a kid

[The Loco Librarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author wrote about a 13 year old boy pointing out “cultural appropriation” and getting so upset that he picks up a rock and physically attack someone else!

First of all, if wearing or using something from a different culture is “cultural appropriation”, we wouldn’t be able to do, wear, or say ANYTHING unless it came from our own ancestors. That’s ridiculous and impossible to mandate.

Secondly, violence is never the answer. We should be civil and intelligent—using our words to communicate. This behavior explained in this book is not only unacceptable but wildly inappropriate.

Line for line from the book:
“Another time, at a parade downtown, when I pretended to be from the past, there was a white man dressed as an Indian chief mascot walking by. I mean, he was wearing a headdress and everything, which is disrespectful to native culture. I picked up the first thing I could find— a rock about the size of a baseball— and charged him, hitting him in the arm with the rock until the guy got really mad and started yelling at me and pushing me away.”

[Erika Wilde · Rating 2 out of 5]

i had high hopes for this middle grade novel and was left confused.

ziggy has anxiety, but the representation felt off. anxiety would be spelled out in all caps and the in normal font other times. i felt like the author wanted a novel that represents middle schoolers with anxiety, but doesn’t know what it actual is like?

i was drawn in by the blurb on the back that alluded to the national issue of missing and murdered native women, but none of this really came to light. it felt like the message was to move on and stop worrying about those you lost, when that’s the exact opposite of what you can do. especially when a group of marginalized women are being put on the back burner and forgotten by law enforcement.

maybe i didn’t get it. it felt like a native approach (due to their storytelling )of alice in wonderland, and if that was the goal, the author nailed it, but from the book synopsis, that wasn’t the vibe i thought i was getting into.

[Z. Zoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but the plot felt like a bad dream which gave me ANXIETY.
For what it's worth though, the main character was relatable, and I gained some good coping techniques for anxiety. So there's that.

[Elena Davila · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had so much potential for students -- loss of a parent, Native American heritage, storytelling, and anxiety, --- but all of it was so jumbled and strange that I don't think many students will be able to sift through the story. When the animals started talking, I almost stopped reading, but then I thought it might be what the main character was dreaming about, but then it wasn't that either. Again, I had high hopes, but it was too "all over the place" for me.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story of not walking the path of grief alone but with family and friends. The power of storytelling throughout all have lessons. Have your hearts open to the spiritual world and recognize the guides and protectors who walk the path with you.

[Braden Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good message. You would never guess what was going to happen next, but it all clicks together to promote the overall message of the book.

[beatrice ° ♤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5
genuinely what was that

[Lucille weicher · Rating 2 out of 5]

really confuseing for me.

[Wini Fara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to say that I ended up DNFing such a short book. I liked the premise and the characters, but I just couldn't get into the writing style. It felt too choppy and didn't flow easily.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ziggy and Moon Echota live in Poisonberry, New Mexico with their father. They are Cherokee, and Ziggy often has strange dreams that he is living in the past, when Native Americans were forced from their land by Andrew Jackson. He's very anxious about everything, and it doesn't help that his mother disappeared when he was very young. Many people he knows have had relatives disappear, like his friend Sheila, who had an aunt go missing. The police don't seem to care, and give scant attention to the cases. Ziggy is in a bad with his friends Corso (who is white) and Bojack-Runt. Ziggy begins to think that his mother's disappearance might have something to do with a nearby mysterious cave, and a girl at school, Alice, is reported to have information about it. She claims that the cave is inhabitant by the Nennehi, who are spirits. When Alice shows up at Ziggy's house in her nightgown with a coyote who can talk, Ziggy gets drawn into an odd and fascinating world of stories and legends where he meets a variety of fanastical creature who help him on his quest. Will he be able to overcome his fears and to solve the mystery of his mother's disappearance?
Strengths: This was on the shorter side for a fantasy book, and seems to be a stand alone. Most of my students are not avid fantasy readers, and they blanch visibly when I suggest books that are 400 pages long and are the first in the series. Stand alones are a great way to introduce readers to fantasy books. This was fast paced, had a lot of details about Cherokee lore and figures, and dealt with Ziggy's anxiety in a realistic way against the background of a fantasy adventure. The concern about Native women going missing and the trauma that those disappearances cause is something that is starting to finally get some attention, and I haven't seen it addressed in middle grade fiction before.
Weaknesses: This ended a bit abruptly. I may check a finished edition to see if I missed something in the E ARC.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like James Bird's book, Young's Healer of the Water Monster , or Roanhorse's Race to the Sun.

[David Rempel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic narration! Holland was able to capture and distinguish each of the diverse characters, bringing them to life, seamlessly and authentically, drawing the reader into the story.

Interesting story about Cherokee storytelling and traditional folk characters, a boy with anxiety, and his family, who are all dealing with the disappearance of his mother years ago. It does play a bit like Alice in Wonderland, with various strange characters imparting wisdom through stories and songs.

The story does a great job of exploring diverse responses to grief, as well as how hard it can be to open up and have meaningful relationships with family, friends, and those closest to us.

While the narrative primarily revolves around creating and remembering stories as a means of cultural connection, it could have delved deeper into its secondary theme: missing indigenous women. Although it starts with a quest for answers, the story emphasizes finding happiness and moving past loss — which might be sound advice, but I think there could have been more emphasis on seeking justice and acknowledging that law-enforcement has traditionally been incredibly insufficient in protecting, and solving crimes against, indigenous women.

Another family in the story seems to be completely drowning in their grief, obsessing over every sound, thinking it might be their missing daughter’s spirit still with them. The mother says that the protagonist should pray about his mother instead of looking for answers. The family’s entire life seems to be focused on the missing daughter’s spirit being around them - and there is no sense that the author thinks this is unhealthy or tragic.

Then, again, this isn’t my story to tell, and maybe the best message for young people IS to find ways to move on. Since it’s not my experience, it’s hard for me to judge.

I still enjoyed the story overall, though it went against my expectations.