An Instant New York Times Bestseller
In 1932, Minnesota's Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to Odie O'Banion, a lively boy whose exploits upset the superintendent. Forced to flee, Odie and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi. During one unforgettable summer, these four orphans make their way through small river towns and big cities, searching for a place to belong. And while they lose their innocence, they also gain the strength to survive in the face of terrible loss.