Powwow Day by Traci Sorell

From Charlesbridge Publishing:

My feet stay still. I can't feel the drum's heartbeat.

It's powwow day—but eight-year-old River can't dance this year. She's been very sick for a very long time.

This uplifting contemporary picture book by award-winning author and Cherokee citizen Traci Sorell follows River as she struggles with the isolation of a serious illness and the frustration of her physical limits—and as she finds solace in the healing power of community. Back matter explains the history and functions of powwows, which are held across the United States and Canada and are open to both Native Americans and non-Native visitors.