Sweetgrass (Paperstar Book)

Can the whole tribe depend on her? Award-winning author Jan Hudson tells the enchanting story of a young Blackfoot girl caught up in the sweep of Western Canadian history. Being the oldest unmarried girl in her Blackfoot tribe is misery for fifteen-year-old Sweetgrass, but her father feels she’s not ready for the hard work and responsibility that come with being an Indian wife. Then, during the cold prairie winter, a smallpox epidemic breaks out. With the men away at war, Sweetgrass is one of the few women left to fight for the survival of her tribe. This is her chance to prove her maturity, but is she strong enough to fight the cold, hunger, and disease? “In a colorful, lyrical style evoking all the sense, Sweetgrass tells, with strength and tenderness, a dramatic story.”—Kirkus Reviews (pointer review) An ALA Notable Book, Booklist Editors’ Choice, and winner of the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award.