Then Ray gets the chance she’s been longing for: to spend a summer in the bush with her beloved grandmother–fishing, camping, and living off the land. During this visit, guided by her grandmother’s sure hands, compassionate wisdom, and unfailing sense of humour, Ray begins a marvelous journey. Her grandmother, Agnes, a skilled healer respected in her small community, is the mentor and teacher Ray needs. She sees Ray’s need to find her own identity and voice and begins to help her learn traditional skills.

At the end of this beautiful and empowering story, which begins in 1978, the withdrawn green-eyed girl has found her voice and is not afraid to use it.

Ruby Slipperjack has three novels to her credit: Weesquachak and the Lost Ones, Silent Words, and Honour the Sun.

She is an assistant professor in the Department of Indigenous Learning at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and can be found at her cabin at Whitewater First Nation on Whitewater Lake in Northern Ontario in the summer months.