This award-winning historical novel follows Omakayas, a seven-year-old Ojibwe girl living on an island in Lake Superior in 1847. Through her eyes, readers experience a year in the life of her family as they build their summer birchbark house, hunt, gather, and face the challenges of survival, including a devastating smallpox outbreak. The story beautifully weaves daily life, Ojibwe traditions, and spiritual beliefs with themes of family, community, and resilience. Omakayas's journey of self-discovery, guided by her wise grandmother and her unique connection to animals, makes this a powerful and moving coming-of-age tale.