Q&A with Andrew Maraniss

 

 

 

Andrew Maraniss is the author of a new biography for kids of Native American runner and activist Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone. It's the latest in Maraniss's Beyond the Game: Athletes Change the World series. He is also director of special projects at the Vanderbilt University Athletic Department, and he lives in Brentwood, Tennessee.

 

Q: What inspired you to write a book about Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone?

 

A: For the fourth book in my Beyond the Game series of illustrated biographies of athletes who have done important work to help other people outside of sports, I was interested in writing about someone who was not a well-known star from a professional sports league.

 

Jordan is an example of someone who began using her platform as an athlete to speak out about important issues without any guarantee that anyone would be listening. But regardless, she knew it was important to speak up for vulnerable people and to try to send a message to a larger community.

 

She is an extraordinarily determined person who takes every opportunity to shift the spotlight away from herself and on to the people and issues that she fights for. While she didn't have a large built-in audience, she has created one and is really skilled at bringing diverse communities together. 

 

Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

 

A: For research, I interviewed Jordan many times and read as much as I could about the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, a topic I was only vaguely aware of before I learned about Jordan and her advocacy. I also learned more about the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and the connections between exploitation of land and of people.

 

I was surprised to learn about the history of running in Jordan’s family, including the connections between her grandfather and the great Indigenous Olympic runner Billy Mills. Jordan's mom was also an Olympic-level athlete.

 

I also enjoyed learning that her father was a stand-up comedian in his younger days. Jordan used to love driving across the country with him from show to show when she was a kid.

 

Q: What do you think DeAndra Hodge’s illustrations add to this book?

 

A: Illustrations are vitally important for children’s books. They add depth to the story and help young readers envision the scenes they are reading about.

 

I thought DeAndra did a great job showing Jordan at all phases of her life as a runner, activist, and mother. My favorite illustration shows Jordan silhouetted against the U.S. Capitol building, showing the daunting task of one person taking on powerful forces.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: My hope is that non-Native children and families who read this book learn that Indigenous people do not just exist in history books and that there are issues affecting Indigenous communities that should concern us all.

 

For Indigenous kids reading the book, I hope they gain inspiration by seeing someone they can relate to using her voice in such powerful ways.

 

Jordan’s guiding philosophy, which comes from thousands of years of Lakota heritage, is that “we are all related.” All of us are connected. I think that’s an important message for kids to hear from adults these days.

 

Hodge, Whetstone, Maraniss

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I have a new series debuting in September for Scholastic’s Acorns and Branches series of early chapter books. The series is called Sports Zone, and each book follows a group of 9-year-old friends (Jasper, Ruby, and Mo) who try out for different sports teams for the first time.

 

The first book is on flag football and will be followed by books on soccer and baseball. The kids deal with the anxieties and joys that come with trying something new, along with the good and bad influences of parents and coaches.

 

Throughout it all, the main characters support each other and learn positive lessons about life.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I am seeking support from companies, grant-makers, and individuals to help get the book on Jordan into the hands of children on reservations around the country. Anyone who is interested in supporting this effort can contact me.  

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Andrew Maraniss.