Medicine Wheels
HarperCollins · Hardcover · June 2, 2026
The American Indian Youth Literature and Morris Award-winning author of Rez Ball returns with the unforgettable story of a gifted young Ojibwe athlete learning to ride in his father’s footsteps while practicing for a skateboarding championship.
We earn from qualifying purchases.
- Who it’s for
- Bryce practices for a skateboarding championship while reconnecting with his Ojibwe community and his father’s legacy.
- Themes
- Grief and a father's legacy, Ojibwe community support, Unconditional love
- Genres
- Skateboarding, Native American YA, Coming of Age
Nearest books
Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved.
Rhino's RunRobert Lipsyte54% matchShares Coming of Age
ShadowedCarl Deuker53% match
Golden ArmCarl Deuker54% match
VisitationsCorey Egbert52% match
Rez BallByron Graves68% matchShares Native American YA
SkateMichael Harmon61% matchShares Skateboarding
Where Wolves Don't DieAnton Treuer60% matchShares Native American YA
Big AirLorna Schultz Nicholson59% match
For younger readers: Shot Clock, Learning to Fall, Coach
Start with three books, and this one can be the first.
Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.
Start with this bookAbout this book
The American Indian Youth Literature and Morris Award-winning author of Rez Ball returns with the unforgettable story of a gifted young Ojibwe athlete learning to ride in his father’s footsteps while practicing for a skateboarding championship. When Bryce’s mom walks out on her abusive boyfriend and back into jail for breaking her probation, he’s left facing the summer of his junior year with no parents, no phone, and only the clothes on his back.
Continue reading
With nowhere to call home, Bryce crashes at his grandparents’ house on Wolf Creek reservation. Wolf Creek is full of memories and old friends—including Robbie and Mikayla, who hang out at the local skate park. Skateboarding reminds Bryce of his late dad: carefree, riding like he could fly. If Bryce could learn to ride like that, he’d take his crew to the top of the skateboarding championship at the end of the summer, and finally prove he’s not a loser, especially to the online-famous, captivating Mikayla. Summer is looking up, even as he’s falling on his face. But when a fresh loss takes Bryce down, he’ll need to learn to lean on his Ojibwe community to get back on the board. Only then can he discover his father’s real legacy—and the true meaning of unconditional love.
Bryce’s Skateboarding
Bryce practices for a skateboarding championship while reconnecting with his Ojibwe community and his father’s legacy.
Come here for
- Bryce practicing for a skateboarding championship
- His connection to his late father’s way of riding
Expect
- Wolf Creek reservation, old friends, and a local skate park
- A young athlete learning to lean on community after loss
Where it sits
| Skateboarding | 76% |
|---|---|
| Native American YA | 72% |
| Coming of Age | 70% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Coming of Age
- Native American YA
- Death & Grief for Teens
- Addiction & Substance Use for Teens
Show all 5 publisher categories
- Skateboarding
- Authors
- Byron Graves
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- June 2, 2026
- Format
- Hardcover
- Theme
- Grief and a father's legacy · Ojibwe community support · Unconditional love
- Reading lane
- Coming of Age