Shaw, Janet,

Kirsten, age 10, exposes herself to great danger when she tries to harvest honey from a bee tree by herself.

A tough Minnesota winter brings many changes to Kirsten's frontier life, including helping her brother Lars set his traps and a move into a new house.

Kaya loves to join in Summertime fun but she's also got something serious on her mind: searching for her lost sister, Speaking Rain. Thousands of Indian families and friends gather at Celilo Falls each summer, and Kaya hopes that someone may have word of her sister. Kaya's older sister, Brown Deer, is on her mind, too. Brown Deer will soon marry Cut Cheek, a thought that makes Kaya both glad and sad. She lost one sister when she had to leave Speaking Rain with the enemies. Now will she lose Brown Deer?.

When Kaya befriends a lone dog that has wandered near her camp, others in the village warn her to be careful. Dogs don't usually live by themselves, and some people think the lone dog is not to be trusted. But Kaya brings the dog food and can feel her gratefulness. After Lone Dog gives birth to pups, she lets Kaya be a part of her new family. When Kaya looks into Lone Dog's eyes, it's as if the dog is speaking to her. Kaya's grandmother tells her that if an animal speaks to her, she needs to listen.