Summary: Shutok, a boy with an injured back from a very primitive nomadic tribe is abandoned by his family and, together with a girl stolen from another tribe, tries to survive a cruel winter. Through Shutok's survival, his tribe's superstitions of the boy's condition are challenged, thus paving the way for an unobstructed sense of community.

Personal reaction: A fine novel that portrays the resilience of the human spirit. Shutok is a relatable character that the reader finds cheering on during the cruel North American winter. This book has a way of encouraging the reader to face their own life challenges with the same courage as Shutok, knowing that anything is possible with an unwavering stubbornness to keep going.

Classroom extension: An open dialogue session with students about how they would try to survive during prehistoric nomadic times would encourage a creative and critically thought-out solution to hypothetical situations. ( )