Characters
Who is the seven-year-old main character of the story?
Omakayas
What large lake does Omakayas and her family live on?
Lake Superior
What unpleasant chore does Omakayas try to avoid in Chapter 1?
Scraping and preparing a moose hide
What kind of bird becomes Omakayas's companion?
A crow
Why does Omakayas want to avoid scraping the moose hide?
She thinks the chore is unpleasant and would rather play.
Who teaches Omakayas about nature and traditions?
What season is beginning as Omakayas's family prepares for colder weather?
Autumn/Fall
What does Old Tallow give Omakayas when she visits her cabin?
a pair of scissors and some maple sugar
What is the name Omakayas gives the crow she befriends?
Andeg
How does Omakayas show courage during her encounter with the mother bear?
She stays still, speaks calmly to the bear, and asks it to leave her in peace.
Who is known for her beauty and her skill?
Omakayas's older sister, Angeline
What Indigenous people does Omakayas and her family belong to?
The Anishinabe (Ojibwe)
What dangerous animal does Omakayas encounter while gathering berries?
A mother bear with her cubs
What kind of animal is One Horn?
What does the family's work building a birchbark house reveal about their way of life?
They use natural resources, share responsibilities, and follow cultural traditions.
Who is the person who returns home and helps protect the family's corn crop?
Deydey, Omakayas's father
What material do the women gather to build their summer home?
What is birchbark?
What does Omakayas do when she finds an injured young crow?
She frees the crow and helps it, beginning their friendship
What does Omakayas call the mother bear when she is trying to communicate with her?
Nokomis (meaning "grandmother")
Why might Omakayas feel guilty after helping capture the crows?
She knows that the birds are living creatures and feels compassion for them.
Who is the scary older woman who treats Omakayas with unusual kindness?
Old Tallow
Why does Nokomis speak respectfully to the birch tree before taking its bark?
She respects the tree's spirit and asks permission to use the bark for shelter.
Why do Omakayas and Angeline have to guard the cornfield?
To keep hungry crows from eating and damaging the corn crop
What does Omakayas's behavior toward the bear suggest about her relationship with nature?
She has a strong connection and respect for animals.
What is one important theme that emerges in the chapters 1-6?