I’ve been fond of a smooth braid since I wore them growing up. Cynthia Leitich Smith created just that kind of braid with three plotlines threaded smoothly through to a delightful conclusion in her new book, On a Wing and a Tear. The first strand has Melanie “Mel” Roberts and Ray Halfmoon, who are from two different indigenous tribes, becoming friends when the Robertses become long term house guests with the Halfmoons.
The second strand is the Elder, Great-grandfather Bat, who turns up in their old oak tree with an injured wing. With a bit of a magical element, he talks and lets them know he must hurry to get to the legendary Great Ball Game since he is the star player.
The third strand has the widowed Grandpa Charlie Halfmoon volunteering to drive them from Chicago to the event in Macon, Georgia. Mel and Ray are intrigued, as the reader will be, with the possibility that he will rediscover his high school sweetheart from long ago on the route.
They set off on a trip that becomes filled with humor, unexpected events, a mystery, and that anticipated encounter with Grandpa’s old girlfriend. The story is cleverly braided together and is a good read for the middle graders for whom it was designed as well as people who just love a good story.

This really fun road trip story is about two kids, their grandfather and two talking animals on their way to their ancestral homeland for a big competition. It's an interesting combination of modern and folk lore that's sure to be a big hit with middle grade readers.

I was really excited to get an ARC of this title. While I enjoyed the setting and characters, it was a bit challenging to keep track of everyone. I do recommend for readers who like talking animals and road trip books.

This was a fun story! I think it would be a good middle school read aloud. I loved the way it was folktale-like, but funny. The characters were entertaining, there was action, mystery, fantasy (talking animals), and some Indigenous history. The back matter was also helpful background info.

I really wanted to love this novel because I love a road trip story and I love reading novels from indigenous writers, but this was a case of another middle grade novel feeling preachy -- I really prefer it when authors let the readers figure things out on their own, rather than telling them what to believe.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. Ray,Mel and Grandpa Halfmoon go on a road trip to see family but also to help Great Grandfather Bat get to the great ballgame in time. They also have the Buttinskys chasing them as well. The kids learn that time can heal wounds and sometimes you don’t know what you’re missing until you find it.

This was a journey filled with self growth, pain, and talking animals from indigenous folk lore. This was a great road trip story.

When Great Grandfather Bat needs to get to the rematch of the Animals vs Birds game but has a tear in his wing, Ray and Grandpa Charlie (from Indian Shoes) jump right in to help. Joining them on the roadtrip is Ray's friend Mel and Gray Squirrel. As they travel across the country they stop to see family and friends, have a few mishaps, and meet some helpful (and not so helpful) strangers. This was a great road trip novel exploring family, heritage, and how we fit in the world. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

This heartwarming book is the story of a special journey between Native children back to their homeland. It's sort of a reverse trail of tears, but deeper than that.

When Mel ans Ray decide to help grandfather bat the story truly kicks off into a beautiful thing full of heart and learning.

I love the idea of modern folklore for Native stories. It feels so real to how we tell our stories and how we share things. Grandfather Bat would approve.

Two kids on a road trip with a grandpa and two talking animals -- a bat and a squirrel. What's not to like?

The goal is to visit family from their indigenous nation families while also transporting the bat elder to an important matchup of Animals vs. Birds.

There are moments of crisis and those of comedy along the way. The route begins in Chicago and heads west on I-80, then south on I-35 into NE Kansas. Those roads are very familiar to me. From Kansas, the route goes into Oklahoma and then SE to the Atlanta area.

In pursuit is a wannabe Youtuber and a mysterious tall, hairy someone. Who could it be?

Cynthia Leitich Smith has given us a family-friendly folklore tale that will warm your heart and remind you of the plight of those who live among us with indigenous ancestors.

Thank you to Heartdrum by HarperCollins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s upcoming middle grade release is a cover to cover delight. Characters from her previous works take center stage in this title, which blends an adventurous road trip journey and modern folklore.

Mel and her mom (from Smith’s story in Ancestor Approved) have moved in with Chicago residents and Seminole-Cherokees Ray and Grampa Charlie Halfmoon. Ray and Mel, in the same grade, have become best friends. They’re surprised when Bat– the Bat, great-grandfather Bat, of the great ball game fame– needs their help. The Animals and the Birds are having another ball game, and the Animals need Bat back on their team, to hopefully help them win again. But a tear in Bat’s wing, and the distance from Chicago to the traditional playing grounds, complicate matters. But Grampa, Ray, Mel, and an epic road trip could get him there on time! …Hopefully.


There is so, so much to love here. In her author’s note, Smith shares that this genre is one author Brian Young (Healer of the Water Monster, Heroes of the Water Monster) has termed modern folklore. This genre brings elements from traditional tribal-specific stories and includes contemporary characters in a modern world alongside them. The result are books that feel like a hug, acknowledging our complex pasts while showing we, as Native people, are still firmly here and now. It’s a reminder that our Native kids are the heroes in their own stories, and that each of us has a role to play– no matter how small (much like Bat, perhaps?).

Smith expertly weaves an adventurous tale that includes references to historical events, wild encounters, escapades, and ultimately healing. Mel has recently given a report on the Trail of Tears for her class, and is feeling particularly tender about her Muscogee and Odawa ancestors and what they endured. Grampa and Ray are on their own healing journeys, as well. Each character supports the others as they learn, grow, and change over the course of their trip.

While there are plenty of laugh out loud moments and hilarious hijinks, the novel also addresses problematic stereotypes and the dangers of viral culture. From cigar store ‘Indians’ to geo-tagging, the internet is shown in all its benefits and drawbacks. The included situations would make an excellent classroom resource and discussion guide (as would the rest of the novel, as well!).

The meandering road trip doesn’t go straight from point A to point B. The team assisting Bat– which includes a thoroughly lovable creature named Gray Squirrel– visits a familiar family in Kansas (hint: a re-read of Rain is Not My Indian Name may be in order!), Ray’s auntie on the Cherokee Nation reservation, and the Muscogee homelands. The wide tribal representation, alongside the character’s bicultural and multi-tribal identities, displays the varied contexts in which Native folks live. Layered with culturally specific details, Native readers will feel seen and loved as they read this book.

On a Wing and a Tear is such a gift to readers. This story is heartwarming, uplifting, and feels like a big squeeze of a hug from a beloved auntie. It’s such a delight to be in this world with these characters. My heart is so full after reading it– yours will be, too.

With great gratitude, I thank the author, Heartdrum/HarperCollins Children’s, NetGalley, and Edelweiss for an advanced digital copy such that I could share my honest opinion.

On a Wing and a Tear will be available September 17, 2024.

Happy reading!

Take a roadtrip with Grandpa Halfmoon, Ray, Mel, and their animal friends! Great-Grandfather Bat has an injured wing and needs a ride back to the big ball game. Gray squirrel is ready to serve in any way she can to make sure that Great-Grandfather Bat arrives safely. This book touches beautifully on many aspects of Native American culture and family ties. The roadtrip does not come without a few hiccups and they turn this book into a page turner!

I got an early copy of this and it is a truly beautiful book. It made my heart sing. The characters were engaging, the Native culture was beautifully and powerfully written, and I just wanted the story to go on and on. Highly recommend.

An absolutely beautiful and very fun story of a group of indigenous peoples going on a road trip to deliver a bat to play in a years in the making rematch ball game between birds and animals. It’s original, has so much imagination but even more heart. A wonderful book I will be buying for my classroom library.

On a Wing and a Tear" is a middle grade novel of folklore. It’s where the animals can talk, and Grandfather Bat needs help from his neighbors to get to a rematch of the Great Ball Game.
Melanie “Mel” Roberts and Ray Halfmoon, are like siblings after she and her mom become housemates with a widower, Charlie Halfmoon, despite their different Indigenous backgrounds. They welcome Great-grandfather Bat into their lives and embark on a thrilling road trip with their injured guest. Grampa Halfmoon, who met Grandfather Bat when he was younger, takes the lead on the trip. So it’s Grandpa, Mel, Ray, (grampa’s grandson), Grandfather Bat and an enthusiastic Gray Squirrel on this adventure together. Along the way, they learn more about their relatives, their Grampa's past, and the Trail of Tears.

Readers will enjoy the humor and warmth of this road trip story involving baseball, silliness, mystery, suspense, history and even a bit of danger.

Best selling Children’s author Cynthia L. Smith is Muskogee and a Cherokee descendant.

This is a unique, fun and noteworthy tale.

I love a road trip story! I will add this to my suitcase & passport challenge that includes other lovely road trip adventures. I enjoyed the "found" family relationships of the main characters. I also enjoyed connecting with their Native roots as they traveled across the country. I was not expecting the talking animals, but that quirk became a cute little part of the misadventure. The author explained it well-it is a fiction, not a fantasy. Think of it as a modern day fable. I'm on board.

On a Wing and a Tear is a captivating tale that blends adventure, mystery, and cultural richness into an unforgettable journey. When Melanie “Mel” Roberts and Ray Halfmoon, who have become like siblings despite their different Indigenous backgrounds, welcome Great-grandfather Bat into their lives, they embark on a thrilling road trip with their injured guest. Their mission? To support Bat in a legendary Great Ball Game rematch in Georgia. Author Cynthia L. Smith masterfully weaves a story full of humor, heart, and the deep connections that bind us all. This modern folklore is both enchanting and thought-provoking, offering a rich narrative that resonates with readers of all ages.

I love this author so much which is why I requested this one, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. Maybe I'm just in a middle grade reading slump right now?

"On a Wing and a Tear" is a middle grade folklore novel by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee). In a book where animals can talk, Grandfather Bat needs help from his neighbors to get to a rematch of the Great Ball Game (that Bat was instrumental in winning). The kids, Ray and Mel, are surprised to hear Bat speak, but quickly become invested in this trip. Grampa Halfmoon, who met Grandfather Bat when he was younger, takes them on a trip (along with an enthusiastic Gray Squirrel). While on the trip they learn more about their relatives, their Grampa's past, and the Trail of Tears. Two bumbling baddies who want to steal the talking bat for fortune and fame proceed to mess up the trip, but they never seem like a true obstacle. Silly hijinks happen. Readers will enjoy the humor and warmth on this road trip story.
Recommended purchase for all middle grade fiction collections.

"The land remembers you."

I'm a huge fan of baseball, mystery, and road trips. This book has all of it!

Upbeat and vibey, this is a fun read.