First published 2003
Miyax stands alone on the endless Alaskan tundra with no food, no shelter, and no direction home. The thirteen-year-old has fled her unwanted marriage, hoping to reach her pen pal in San Francisco, but now faces death in the frozen wilderness. She must choose between two identities: Miyax, who knows the old Eskimo ways, or Julie, her modern name that connects her to white culture. When a wolf pack begins to accept her presence, Miyax realizes her survival depends on understanding their behavior and trusting the traditional knowledge she once questioned. She learns to think like a wolf, studying their signals and earning their respect. The harsh landscape that seemed empty reveals its secrets to someone willing to see with ancient eyes. Miyax's struggle becomes more than physical survival as she discovers which version of herself can endure in this unforgiving place.
Genres: fiction, survival, adventure, coming-of-age
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Alaska, San Francisco
Period: 20th-century
208 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins