Clack, Clack! Smack! A Cherokee Stickball Story

♦ “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

♦ Teamwork makes the dream work in this stickball-centered picture book from Cherokee creators Sorell and Erb. Haunted by missing the final shot in the previous game, Cherokee player Vann also worries about his speed: “His towering body isn’t fast. Smaller teammates—like Vann’s best friend, Jesse—zip across the field.” In English and Tsalagi, the game progresses as the coach encourages the team to “work together—gadugi—an important Cherokee value.” Onomatopoeic text relays the “CLACK CLACK” of play while subtly outlining the sport, and bold-lined digital illustrations capture the fast-moving match alongside the ample community watching from the sidelines, making for a work that supplies a strong sense of camaraderie and competition—and allows for values to win the day. A Tsalagi glossary and notes about stickball and language conclude.
—Publishers Weekly, starred review


Sorell’s high-energy and uplifting story proves that team spirit can make true success. Vann doubts his abilities and contributions to the team’s success as the stick game progresses. Ultimately, Vann recognizes that despite the differences among them, they all can contribute an important role, which starts with trusting in himself. Emerging readers can relate to Vann and this doubt that comes from being a part of a team and not wanting to let them down. The illustrations successfully portray the high emotions that come with an intense game. With the inclusion of Tsalagi (Cherokee) vocabulary, the surrounding context still allows non-Cherokee readers to grasp the meaning of the words in real time. There is also an included glossary of words that were in the story, including the Tsalagi syllabary, English transliteration, pronunciation, and meaning. VERDICT This fast-paced and exciting reflective story on sportsmanship and overcoming self-doubt provides concise representation into Cherokee cultural activities while keeping the story relatable to many growing readers.
—School Library Journal


In this book written and illustrated by Cherokee Nation tribal members, it’s the girls against the boys in a fast-paced game of Cherokee stickball. The boys, the Eagles, were ahead, but the girls’ team, the Redhawks, has tied the score. Can the boys score three more points to win? Athletes from other sports will empathize with Vann, an Eagle, who feels the pressure since he missed the final shot last week and his team lost. His confidence is shaken. Can he score the winning goal today or can he figure out another way to help his team win? Perhaps teamwork, an important Cherokee value, is the winning solution. Striking cartoon illustrations feature players with a range of skin tones and hairstyles, both often silhouetted and highlighted against a white background. Illustrations with varying points of view pull the reader into the game, sometimes as a player on the field, sometimes as part of a mad scramble for the ball, and sometimes in a close-up conversation between Vann and his teammate and friend Jesse. Extensive back matter provides a detailed glossary and pronunciation guide for the Cherokee words in the text and information about the Cherokee Nation’s efforts to keep the Tsalagi (Cherokee) language alive. In addition, a description of stickball rules and the historical use of the game to settle disputes between villages is illustrated by photos of stickball equipment and actual games in progress.
—Children’s Literature