Two Tribes: A Graphic Novel

by Emily Bowen Cohen

In her poignant debut graphic novel inspired by her own life, Emily Bowen Cohen embraces the complexity, meaning, and deep love that comes from being part of two vibrant tribes. Mia is still getting used to living with her mom and stepfather, and to the new role their Jewish identity plays in their home. Feeling out of place at home and at her Jewish day school, Mia finds herself thinking more and more about her Muscogee father, who lives with his new family in Oklahoma. Her mother doesn’t want to talk about him, but Mia can’t help but feel like she’s missing a part of herself without him in her life. Soon, Mia makes a plan to use the gifts from her bat mitzvah to take a bus to Oklahoma—without telling her mom—to visit her dad and find the connection to her Muscogee side she knows is just as important as her Jewish side. This graphic novel by Muscogee-Jewish writer and artist Emily Bowen Cohen is perfect for fans of American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. It is published by Heartdrum, an imprint that centers stories about contemporary Indigenous young people.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Jewish, Realistic Fiction, Comics, Family, Indigenous

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2023

About the author

Emily Bowen Cohen lives in Los Angeles, CA. She won a WORD artist grant in 2016 to create the mini-comic, An American Indian Guide to the Day of Atonement. She was an Inquiry fellow at American Jewish University and also participated in the Reciprocity retreat through Asylum Arts. She graduated from Harvard University in 1997 with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still trying to process how I feel about all of the elements of this book, but it definitely was a solid read and I'm happy to see more Native representation in middle grade graphic novels. CW: racism against Native communities, parental divorce due to mistreatment/lying (I feel as though infidelity was insinuated, but I'm not sure if that was the intention), bullying. 3.5 Stars

Two Tribes is a middle grade graphic novel that follows main character Mia who currently lives in LA with her mother. She is a Jewish and attends a Jewish school where is one of only a few students of color. It is during an encounter with another student that Mia realizes that she wants to learn more about her Native, specifically Muscogee background. Instead of attending a school trip, Mia sneaks off to visit her father.

What Worked: I really enjoyed the way that Bowen explored the complexity of having multiple identities and what happens when a child is unable to explore all facets of themselves. I also like that this was a graphic novel that highlighted the mistakes of adults. It always pleases me to see representation where there is an adult fessing up to their misdeeds and apologizing. These scenes reiterate to younger readers that adults, too, are human and make not so great decisions that lead to apologies. Readers will notice that in Mia's interactions with her dad as well as the Rabbi. I also appreciated the pure joy Mia received from learning so much about her background.

What Didn't Work: There were some pacing issues that made the story feel incomplete in some areas. I also wanted the author to dig a little deeper in terms of Mia's exploration of her Muscogee culture. I think that it would have been great to get even some additional backmatter information on what Mia experiences when she's at the Powwow. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the artwork, but it didn't cause any major disruptions in the storytelling.

Overall, this was a solid middle grade graphic novel. I'm interested in seeing what Emily Cohen comes up with next.

[Hannah]

I would love to see someone write an essay on how the author chose to redraw the cover with a Star of David because presumably everyone at Harper thought the double necklace as it actually appears in the narrative (hamsa) would be too niche or something

This is very good but not perfect. As a Jew of color, I particularly like that it doesn't pull punches when describing racism among white Jews, particularly affluent white Ashkenazim who send their kids to private school. I did feel like the church thing with the father and stepmother were a bit underdeveloped and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to get ick vibes, and I kept waiting for them to try and convert her or say something weird to her, which never happened and is great, but like...idk, maybe it's my own discomfort when people who talk about their church. I also felt like the way the mom talked about the father kept going back and forth between melodramatic and actually traumatic, and the author couldn't really decide where to land, and all that just made it harder for me to figure out who he was as a character. And of course the ending was a little bit pat, but the heart of the story was very good, and I am always here for books about mixed kids coming up with their own personal syncretism.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue my graphic novels reading adventure with this exquisitely drawn and heart-felt story.

Mia is different than her peers. Her father is Muscogee and her mother is Jewish. Her stepfather is Jewish. Her father lives in Oklahoma with his own new family who she hasn’t seen in a long time.

So…

Mia doesn’t know a lot about her Muscogee background. Currently she is being raised Jewish and going to a Jewish Community School.

Still…

What readers come to learn is Mia is struggling around her hyphenated identity.

The author maintains a relatively serious tone throughout to reveal some of the complex ways young adults engage with ethnicity.

And…

What the author does best throughout this gorgeously illustrated novel is concentrate on the stress and inner turmoil of Mia, trying to untangle her multiple heritages.

The novel opens with Mia struggling to explain her ethnicity to new friends. Their ignorance is astounding.

And…

Beautifully displayed in bubbles and panels.

Living with her mother and step-father, Mia lacks access to the Native American language or customs she inherits from her father.

So…

Mia chooses to go on a journey to see her Muscogee family. To find this side of her identity.

Through Mia’s feelings of solitude, she reconciles the different parts of herself.

In this way…

She expresses the various challenges that typical young adults face when neither their community nor their family is able to understand all sides of their identity.

And…

The landscapes displayed between the Jewish suburbia and the Oklahoma more rural Christian landscape, where her Native American family reside are charmingly depicted.

Landscape and background help to shape Mia.

The novel does a wonderful job of highlighting how literature is an ideal vehicle through which society can help to explain complicated identity politics to both adults and children.

We need graphic books like this one. (Yes, I said this!)

And…

Perhaps graphic novels are one of the most creative ways of conveying this important message for young adults and children.

Consider this one scene…

Even when Mia was attempting to find out about her background, she went to the school library and checked out a book called “The Little Indian.”

As it turns out it is a distorted and dangerous depiction of American Indians, and the author is being quite attentive when conveying this through her thought bubbles. (Apparently, based on a lightly disguised version of a 1925 book by Grace Moon’s “Chi-Wee: The Adventures of a Little Indian Girl.”)

By acknowledging the dangers of the wrong sort of fiction, the author underscores the power of finding the right kinds of books as well as receiving support from adults that young adults deserve.

There are so many learning opportunities within these pages.

Highly recommended for kids 8-12 years old.

And…adults of any age! 4.5 stars.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

As her bat mitzvah nears, Mia Harjo Horowitz is frustrated with her mother, stepfather, and her Jewish community school and wonders about her Muscogee heritage and the father she hasn't seen in many years. I dislike the runaway and big lie tropes that are used to move the story along, and the script can be stilted, awkward and simplistic at times, but I really appreciated the examination of a multiracial heritage and how common ground can be found in traditions that might seem so different at first glance.

Nice.

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

71%

We've got a good story on our hands, but it felt kinda preachy and forced at times - I mean, no one really talks like they did in real life, and it felt weirdly awkward. I get that it's important to show healthy relationships and boundaries, but you can show me a nail's purpose without hammering it into my skull, you know?

I also wasn't a fan of Mia planning to ask the librarian to remove a book out of the collection because she didn't like what it said, especially since she herself pointed out that it taught her how other people view Native Americans - asking for more relevant books is awesome, but banning books just doesn't sit right with me.

I think some cultural resources to aid further research would've been nice to see at the end of the book, especially since this story is aimed at a younger age-group that may not know how to research things properly.

~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is engaging from the first page to the last. Such an uplifting arc. I'm so glad I read this.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one my highly anticipated reads for this fall, and it didn’t disappoint in its impact on me. I have never before read a book with a Jewish - Native American character, much less a middle grade title with a main character with this dual identity. The story shares an incredibly important message about being of “two tribes” and how having two distinct identities can be difficult and contradictory. The main character in this book is stuck between a white Jewish mother (and stepfather) and a Muskogee Christian father. She feels like she doesn’t fit into either world, and struggles with people dismissing both sides of her self. I am so glad this book exists!

Librarian note: This story has pretty extensive specific religious content, more than I often see in middle grade fiction. It is not overtly preachy, but it does get pretty in the weeds about specific bible stories. Also, and I hate to mention this, but as a librarian it merits a mention: the art is fairly rudimentary and would not have passed my purchase test if this title hadn't been from Heartdrum.

Source: Purchased paperback

[Rebekkah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this middle-grade graphic novel, which tells the story of Mia, a girl who is Jewish and a member of the Muscogee Nation. I truly appreciated having a main character who is both Jewish and Indigenous, particularly because I haven't encountered many children's books that delve into the intersections of those identities, and I think Mia's story is one that needs to be told. I also appreciated that Mia's dad was his own fleshed-out character, as many middle-grade and YA books that tell stories of kids who are Jewish and biracial have an estranged parent who doesn't appear in the book. However, Mia riding the bus by herself from LA to Oklahoma felt like an irresponsible, unrealistic, and somewhat distracting plot choice. There also was something about the illustration style that wasn't entirely to my taste—some of the illustrations felt too cartoon-y for the subject matter, while some were really beautiful. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a great middle grade comic about grappling with mixed identity and dealing with micro (and macro) aggressions, not just from the other community but even close friends or family.

it was really cool to see a comparison and blending of mia's heritage, and the exploration of trying to reconnect w your identity after being lost to past assimilation really resonated with me.

i can't wait for more stories from this author!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for free with Kindle Unlimited
----

Heartfelt and wonderfully told story.

Wasn't a big fan of the artwork but that's just a personal thing. 🤷‍♀️.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A debut MG graphic novel about being both Jewish and Indigenous.
✡️
Mia lives with her mother and stepfather and just had her bat mitzvah. She attends a Jewish day school where she feels out of place since she doesn’t look like a lot of the kids who go there. Her mom doesn’t talk much about Van, Mia’s father who is Native American from the Muscogee tribe. Mia is desperate to learn more about that part of herself so she uses her birthday money to buy a bus ticket to Oklahoma and visit her dad and his new family. After a weekend of fun, culture and bonding, Mia’s mom discovers she’s not on a field trip like she told her and comes to get Mia. How is Mia able to balance and understand both parts of her?
🪶
I learned so much about both Judaism and Indigenous cultures/religions through this book and know that it’s information all our kids need to learn more about too. Thank you Heartdrum @harpercollins for publishing titles like this. Two Tribes releases August 15.

CW: racism, microaggressions

The artwork wasn’t my favorite and something just kept it from being a full 5 ⭐️ but the representation was *chef’s kiss*

[Michelle Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to Cynthia Leitich Smith for sending me a copy!

I loved this book, it was so important!
Two Tribes follows Mia, a Muscogee/Jewish teen and she's currently going through it with trying to navigate her heritage, both Native and Jewish. There were parts of this book that made me feel truly joyous knowing she was getting to know herself, and that two things can still be true without discounting or disowning the other.

Definitely something everyone needs to read!

[Jordan Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story about identity, culture, and being proud of who you are! This GN weaves Muscogee and Jewish culture together, because like the main character, many people find themselves in a blended life… not solely one cultural group.

The symbols and the connections are what made this story beautiful. AND the aspect of family (people change). ❤️

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Racist bullying

[Brittny's Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing read

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one!! I loved how the story is about making mustaches and how to grow beyond them (and taking accountability for harm you caused, especially when you don’t realize some “sayings” have really racist underlining). It was great to see Jared representation and Indigenous representation - and how fun and exciting and scary it can be to explore when you are a stranger to your own heritage. There’s also excellent conversations about not hiding parts of who you are, embracing and accepting every aspect of your identity, and even that teachers have things to learn from their students.

[Gary Anderson]

In Emily Bowen Cohen’s beautifully-constructed graphic novel Two Tribes, Mia is the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Muscogee (Creek) father who divorced when Mia was much younger. Both parents have remarried, and Mia lives with her mother who refuses to talk about Mia’s father.

Mia is being raised with an emphasis on Jewish culture. She attends West Hill Jewish Community School in Los Angeles where she faces taunts based on how different she looks from everyone else. Her friend Chloe is Chinese-American and the two relate to each other based on the complexity of their heritages.

When Mia seeks to understand more about her Indigenous side, the only book in the school library is full of racist stereotypes which intrigue Mia. Are the stereotypes true? After all, they are in the school library.

Mia’s father lives in Oklahoma with his wife and two young sons. Mia deceives her mother and arranges a secret trip to visit her father. In this vibrant section of the book, Mia meets her stepbrothers and reunites with her father, grandmother, and a cousin. Through the experiences of her Oklahoma trip, Mia realizes how Jewish traditions and beliefs have counterparts in Muscogee culture, and that they are all part of her.

By the end of Two Tribes, Mia has not only reconciled the two sides of her heritage, but in the process has helped many of the adults in her life to better understand each other and how Mia feels about her heritages.

Two Tribes respectfully shows both Jewish and Muscogee culture, and young readers are likely to find the traditions interesting as seen through Mia’s eyes. The larger issue explored in Two Tribes is that adolescents are figuring out and experimenting with their identities as they transition from what has been taught and expected by their parents into a more independent version of themselves. This version is likely to include much of what they have been taught but might also incorporate elements foreign or even offensive to their parents.

Two Tribes is another excellent title from Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books. Heartdrum publications are curated by Cynthia Leitich Smith who describes its offerings as “stories about young Native heroes by Native and First Nations authors and illustrators.”

This review is also posted on my What's Not Wrong? blog in slightly different form.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: bully, racism, infidelity

Me: 😭😭😭😭😭😭
This book is great, I highly recommend. I'm, like, literally 99.8% Jewish so I don't have anything CLOSE to another heritage to explore, but I'm so excited for what this book might say about the state of publishing. This is the heart of We Need Diverse Books and I'm so, so happy it exists.

Sometimes it can be much more difficult to review a book you loved than a book you hated, which is how I've been feeling since I finished this one.
I did read a review where someone pointed out that Mia's parents acted somewhat unrealistically, but I didn't mind it, since this story is told through the eyes of a 12/13-year-old. And, really, were any of us the most reasonable at that age? I could definitely see how Mia's age and experience could color how she reads and responds to her mother's words. While this story is certainly not presented with an unreliable narrator, I think taking her age and the expected readers' ages into accounts, it's not necessarily unreasonable.

The following review was published in my synagogue bulletin:
Mia's parents divorced when she was three and she hasn't seen her father in years. She lives in California with her Jewish mother and step-father, while her father lives in Oklahoma. Mia attends a Jewish school, is involved in the Jewish community, and has the rabbi over for Shabbat dinner. But her father isn't Jewish - he's a Muscogee American Indian. Desperate to learn more about her heritage, Mia uses her Bat Mitzvah money to travel across the country in search of her roots.
This graphic novel is about joy - the joy of discovery, the joy of personal identity. I found myself grinning all the way through this story as Mia experienced the happiness of finding her heritage and finding how all the parts of herself fit together into a whole. This story also covers the importance of acceptance and downfalls of expectation of homogeny in the Ashkenazi communities of America. Jews come from all backgrounds and may not have just one heritage to be proud of.

[Courtney (Campbell_Reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Being an Oklahoman born and raised, as well as someone who values Native American culture (more native authors, please!), I was super excited about this book! As I was reading, I was disappointed to see my state misrepresented and stereotyped. The first thing the main character sees when she gets off the bus in Tulsa is a cowboy who says "Howdy." There are hardly any cowboys in Oklahoma, especially in Tulsa (one of the biggest cities in Oklahoma). Broken Arrow is depicted as a ranch when, in reality, only a small portion of Broken Arrow is rural and in the country. Most of it is suburban houses and is barely distinguishable from the big city of Tulsa. I found it humorous that one character even states, "I wish I lived in a big city like you." While Tulsa is definitely not as big LA, it IS still a big city. There were several racist comments about Native-Americans that I have never personally felt to be true. Perhaps in California there are more racist but I have traveled several places across the US and depicting Natives as "barbaric" or "animalistic" is very old-fashioned and not terms most people would describe anymore. It seemed like archaic terms. I was hurt in that trying to make a point about breaking Native American stereotypes, the author stereotyped my own state. While it was excellent to see multiple cultures represented, I don't think the author accurately represented EVERY culture she had in the novel. Additionally, I am curious to know if the author has even visited Oklahoma and, if so, how long she stayed because her representation seemed very ignorant and misinformed.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia is both Jewish and Muscogee. She knows all about her Jewish heritage and customs, as her mother has her go to Jewish school. What she doesn’t know is about her Muscogee heritage, since her parents divorced when she was three. She is teased at school, when she mentions that she is Indigenous, and the only book she can find at the library is a horrid one that makes Indigenous people look like savages.

So she decides to take her Bat Mitzvah money and go to Oklahoma to visit her father, and find out about the heritage that she feels she should know about as well. But…she doesn’t tell her mother where she is going, and she doesn’t tell her father that she neglected to get permission to come.

Based on the authors own two heritages, this is a great story of becoming aware of what you are lacking, even though she went about it not quite the correct way. Very real feelings about how Mia feels out of place. And the logical way she came about solving that, even though it wasn’t the right way to do so.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. The book comes out August 15, 2023, and is to be published by Heartdrum, an imprint that focuses on contemporary Indigenous youth.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this graphic novel about a girl from two cultures. Mia's parents don't speak to each other and she hasn't seen her father since she was small. Her mother is a devoutly religious Jew and her father is a member of the Muscogee Nation. Mia devises a plan to visit her father so she can learn more about that half of her heritage.

I love stories about discovering more about your culture and this book did a beautiful job of exploring both sides of Mia's heritage. I really appreciated the way the author handled discussing microaggressions. This is such an important story and one I hope many children get to read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc!

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story about a young girl of two heritages who insists on assuming them both on her own terms.

Her divorced parents: a Jewish mother and Muscogee father - have been at odds and spitefully divided for years, forcing Mia, who lives with mom, to only recognize and practice her Jewish side. Both parents are annoyingly at fault for not respecting Mia’s right to know both sides of her heritage.

The drawing is bright but a tad pedestrian, and some of the plot drivers a bit unbelievable, but it’s still a worthwhile read with a good lesson on acceptance, family, and embracing the wholeness of your identity.

[Annie Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mia’s mom is Jewish. Mia’s dad is Native American. And Mia wants to know and celebrate both cultures that make her who she is. This is a graphic novel with a great message about identity!

[yun with books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartwarming story about Native American (indigenous) culture. Mia is such a smart and wise character!

[Suja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This MG graphic novel beautifully illustrates the life of a girl from a biracial background and her frustrations and confusions. Mia lives with her Jewish mother and Step father in LA. She attends the Jewish day school and finds it hard to relate to her peers given the fact that she is part Muscogee Indian. Due to her Jewish upbringing, Mia feels excluded from her Indian heritage. She decides to take matter into her own hands and plans to go visit her Indian father and his family in Oklahoma to find the missing connection. What follows is a beautiful story of reconciling the different parts of your identity.

The author has done a tremendous job of explaining this concept to middle graders in a very less complicated way. Illustrations are really great. The author also highlights about giving into stereotypes about cultures by reading the wrong kind of literature and highlights the fact about finding right kind of books and getting good support from adults. All in all, it was a beautiful read.

My rating 4*

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for a student centered book club.

I am personally not a big fan of graphic novels. I see why a lot of young people enjoy them and I feel that they have so much to offer readers. I just tend to struggle as someone who's almost exclusively read narrative works.

This is the story of Mia, who is struggling to figure out who she is. She is being raised Jewish by her mom and stepdad. She attends a Jewish school. However, she longs to be close to her father (her parents are divorced) and to understand that part of her heritage (Native American). She makes a plan with the help of her best friend to go see her father and learn more about that part of her family and identity. She gets into some trouble but ultimately realizes that she can be both Jewish and Native, that she doesn't need to hide part of her identity.

An appropriate read for Native American Heritage Month (November). I think this is good for young teens (7th grade through 10th grade). Would recommend to fans of graphic novels, coming-of-age stories, and diverse characters/authors.

[SamSamSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bones of this story are really fantastic, and I loved how the families came together out of mutual love and support for Mia in the end. The nuances of identity were very well explored throughout. What I didn't enjoy was the actual execution of the storytelling - the art style was not really for me and the visual pacing was off, especially in the beginning. The dialogue was also pretty stilted and awkward. So while I'm grateful for this story and glad that it seems to be reaching an audience, this wasn't my favorite read overall.

[Jimi-carol Benton · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot I really liked about this book. It includes many difficult topics and I enjoyed seeing into 2 different cultures. However I did not feel like the fact that she ran away was dealt with in an reasonable way. She comes back and is punished but when she blows up on her parents and the rabbi they basically apologize and suddenly understand her. It feels rushed and there was no conversation of the dangers or reasons her mother chose to keep her daughter at a distance from her father. I really enjoyed the rest but those parts needed more attention and details in my opinion.

[vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not great, the writing is simple and the illustrations are too (the mother’s face for example). The pacing kind of lacks towards the end and everything is tied in a neat bow. I wish lying to your parents to this level happened less in middle grade books, though I understand how it moves the plot and causes tension. I liked learning about Mia’s family and traditions, both her Jewish and Muscogee background.

[Free Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a cute story.