Scan barcode
michaelacm's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Race to the Sun is a middle grade novel about a Navajo girl named Nizohni who discovers that she can see monsters. It turns out that her dad's new boss who is visiting from out of town is one such monster and so Nizohni's adventure begins.
We had high hopes for this one that the book didn't quite live up to. This tale is woven through with lots of Native American folklore and mythology but the story didn't 100% grasp my 10 year old son's attention.
Race to the Sun is a middle grade novel about a Navajo girl named Nizohni who discovers that she can see monsters. It turns out that her dad's new boss who is visiting from out of town is one such monster and so Nizohni's adventure begins.
We had high hopes for this one that the book didn't quite live up to. This tale is woven through with lots of Native American folklore and mythology but the story didn't 100% grasp my 10 year old son's attention.
adalton's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
watervixxen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
juels's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
zoes_human's review against another edition
The middle-grade reality to fantasy proportion was not to my liking.
richy_qu33r_readzz's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
the ending felt a bit rushed to me, but overall I really enjoyed this one
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this adventure story, inspired by Navajo cultural stories and working within those legends. The characters are endearing, and the story was one I could not put down. I hope this becomes a series, and I will be reading more of Rebecca Roanhorse. I love what Rick Riordan is doing to bring more underrepresented Own Voices to middle grade fiction.
laura_cs's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lately, Navajo middle schooler Nizhoni Begay has been seeing monsters everywhere. She knows that they are monsters, but voices her concerns to only her younger brother, Mac, for fear of being mocked or not believed. But when the latest monster shows up at her basketball game--and turns out to actually be her dad's new boss--she knows something big is about to happen. At least, that's what Mr. Yazzie (her stuffed horned lizard) says. When Nizhoni learns that her father has been kidnapped, it sends her, Mac, and her best friend Davery on a quest to the Sun. Along the way, they encounter the Holy People of Navajo mythos, and Nizhoni learns more about her past as the descendant of the Hero Twins and her future as a monsterslayer...
A fantastic middle school debut from Rebecca Roanhorse, "Race to the Sun" is a brilliant novel featuring a Native American heroine and is a great introduction to Navajo legends just as the "Percy Jackson" series is to Greek myth. A wonderful addition to the Rick Riordan Presents line-up, I hope to see more Native American stories in the future from both Roanhorse and the imprint. Also, having been to many of the locations in the book in New Mexico and around the Navajo Nation, it was nice to return to these places in a fictional setting and I hope encourages readers to travel to the beautiful locations that Nizhoni and her friends visit. (Well. The ones we mere mortals can access, anyways...)
Lately, Navajo middle schooler Nizhoni Begay has been seeing monsters everywhere. She knows that they are monsters, but voices her concerns to only her younger brother, Mac, for fear of being mocked or not believed. But when the latest monster shows up at her basketball game--and turns out to actually be her dad's new boss--she knows something big is about to happen. At least, that's what Mr. Yazzie (her stuffed horned lizard) says. When Nizhoni learns that her father has been kidnapped, it sends her, Mac, and her best friend Davery on a quest to the Sun. Along the way, they encounter the Holy People of Navajo mythos, and Nizhoni learns more about her past as the descendant of the Hero Twins and her future as a monsterslayer...
A fantastic middle school debut from Rebecca Roanhorse, "Race to the Sun" is a brilliant novel featuring a Native American heroine and is a great introduction to Navajo legends just as the "Percy Jackson" series is to Greek myth. A wonderful addition to the Rick Riordan Presents line-up, I hope to see more Native American stories in the future from both Roanhorse and the imprint. Also, having been to many of the locations in the book in New Mexico and around the Navajo Nation, it was nice to return to these places in a fictional setting and I hope encourages readers to travel to the beautiful locations that Nizhoni and her friends visit. (Well. The ones we mere mortals can access, anyways...)