Super Short Summary

Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac is a novel in verse that follows Malian, an eighth grader, who is visiting her grandparents on the Penacook Wabanaki reservation when the COVID-19 lockdown occurs. She bonds with a loyal rez dog named Malsum and learns about her Wabanaki heritage, history, and the resilience of her people, while also grappling with the isolation from her parents and challenges of remote learning. The narrative covers the legacy of forced assimilation within boarding schools and other historical injustices faced by Indigenous Americans.