Vann, a struggling stickball player, competes in a game on the Cherokee Nation. Can he help his team win? Written by award-winning Cherokee author Traci Sorell.
Vann loves playing his tribe’s stickball game, but he’s not as skilled as his teammates. Vann stumbles, and he tries and fails to score. How can he help his teammates win?
Exciting and fast-paced, Clack, Clack! Smack! reminds readers that sportsmanship and being a team player is just as important as being the star. Back matter explains the origins of Cherokee stickball.
AWARD
| 2024 Junior Library Guild Selection
♦ "Two Cherokee teams play a game of stickball in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Vann feels insecure about having missed a key shot in last week’s match. “Stickball requires speed,” after all, and his “towering body” won’t cooperate. As Vann and his team, the Eagles, take to the field against the Redhawks, they “zip,” “chase,” and “rush” for the ball, their wooden sticks clashing with a “CLACK, CLACK!” Coach gives the team a pep talk in Tsalagi, the Cherokee language. He reminds them of gadugi, the importance of working together. As the players return to the field to finish the game, Vann’s best friend, Jesse, gives him an encouraging smile. The game is now tied. Can Vann and his team win? Sorell and Erb, both members of the Cherokee Nation, deliver an uplifting story of team spirit and collaboration; the emphasis is on group triumphs rather than individual victories. Writing in terse, alliterative prose—“a tackle, a twist, and a wrong turn”—Sorell skillfully builds tension as she choreographs this action-packed game. Erb’s thick-lined cartoon illustrations have a pleasing solidity; they capture the chaos and drama of the game and depict players with a range of brown skin tones. The story features frequent Tsalagi words and phrases. Backmatter stresses the importance of keeping the Cherokee language alive and explains the significance of stickball, which traditionally was used to settle conflicts. Stand and cheer for this fast-paced tale of sportsmanship and community." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Traci Sorell writes fiction and nonfiction for children featuring contemporary characters and compelling biographies. She is the author of Powwow Day, We Are Still Here!, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, and coauthor of Mascot. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and lives in northeastern Oklahoma, where her tribe is located.
Joseph Erb is a computer animator, film producer, educator, language technologist and artist enrolled in the Cherokee Nation. He earned his MFA degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Erb created the first Cherokee animation in the Cherokee language, “The Beginning They Told.” He has spent many years working on projects that will expand the use of Cherokee language in technology and the arts. He teaches at the University of California Santa Cruz. He has spent his life in the continued dedication to continue Indigenous stories and language. www.josepherb.com
Vann, a struggling stickball player, competes in a game on the Cherokee Nation. Can he help his team win? Written by award-winning Cherokee author Traci Sorell.
Vann loves playing his tribe’s stickball game, but he’s not as skilled as his teammates. Vann stumbles, and he tries and fails to score. How can he help his teammates win?
Exciting and fast-paced, Clack, Clack! Smack! reminds readers that sportsmanship and being a team player is just as important as being the star. Back matter explains the origins of Cherokee stickball.
Awards
AWARD
| 2024 Junior Library Guild Selection
Praise
♦ "Two Cherokee teams play a game of stickball in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Vann feels insecure about having missed a key shot in last week’s match. “Stickball requires speed,” after all, and his “towering body” won’t cooperate. As Vann and his team, the Eagles, take to the field against the Redhawks, they “zip,” “chase,” and “rush” for the ball, their wooden sticks clashing with a “CLACK, CLACK!” Coach gives the team a pep talk in Tsalagi, the Cherokee language. He reminds them of gadugi, the importance of working together. As the players return to the field to finish the game, Vann’s best friend, Jesse, gives him an encouraging smile. The game is now tied. Can Vann and his team win? Sorell and Erb, both members of the Cherokee Nation, deliver an uplifting story of team spirit and collaboration; the emphasis is on group triumphs rather than individual victories. Writing in terse, alliterative prose—“a tackle, a twist, and a wrong turn”—Sorell skillfully builds tension as she choreographs this action-packed game. Erb’s thick-lined cartoon illustrations have a pleasing solidity; they capture the chaos and drama of the game and depict players with a range of brown skin tones. The story features frequent Tsalagi words and phrases. Backmatter stresses the importance of keeping the Cherokee language alive and explains the significance of stickball, which traditionally was used to settle conflicts. Stand and cheer for this fast-paced tale of sportsmanship and community." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Author
Traci Sorell writes fiction and nonfiction for children featuring contemporary characters and compelling biographies. She is the author of Powwow Day, We Are Still Here!, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, and coauthor of Mascot. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and lives in northeastern Oklahoma, where her tribe is located.
Joseph Erb is a computer animator, film producer, educator, language technologist and artist enrolled in the Cherokee Nation. He earned his MFA degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Erb created the first Cherokee animation in the Cherokee language, “The Beginning They Told.” He has spent many years working on projects that will expand the use of Cherokee language in technology and the arts. He teaches at the University of California Santa Cruz. He has spent his life in the continued dedication to continue Indigenous stories and language. www.josepherb.com
