Written in Stone
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- £3.99
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
Rosanne Parry author of Heart of a Shepherd, shines a light on Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest in the 1920s, a time of critical cultural upheaval.
Pearl has always dreamed of hunting whales, just like her father. Of taking to the sea in their eight-man canoe, standing at the prow with a harpoon, and waiting for a whale to lift its barnacle-speckled head as it offers its life for the life of the tribe. But now that can never be. Pearl's father was lost on the last hunt, and the whales hide from the great steam-powered ships carrying harpoon cannons, which harvest not one but dozens of whales from the ocean. With the whales gone, Pearl's people, the Makah, struggle to survive as Pearl searches for ways to preserve their stories and skills.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Paying tribute to the fortitude of Northern Native American tribes, Parry (Second Fiddle) creates a vivid novel tracing a Makah orphan girl's coming of age during the early 1920s. At one time, 13-year-old Pearl held an esteemed position in her tribe as the daughter of "the best whaler of the Makah" and a master weaver. Now, Pearl's parents are dead, and she is uncertain about her position in the world. She considers leaving home to work in the city like many struggling natives, including her independent-minded cousin. It isn't until a white stranger threatens to trick local tribes out of their oil-rich land that Pearl realizes her need to preserve her people's traditions and, especially, their stories. While unveiling a dark corner of history during a period when imperialism and the exploitation of Native Americans ran rampant, Perry, a former teacher at a Quinault reservation, beautifully conveys universal and historical themes. Readers will relate to Pearl's internal conflicts as she rebels against traditional women's roles yet clings to what she knows and loves. Ages 9 12.
