A Yup'ik Eskimo Village, 1890 The animal carvings were hung all around the center of the men's house, where they could watch the dances the men did for them. Panruk and I watched and held our breath. We knew these were no real animals, but the dances the men did showed so perfectly how each animal moved, and the calls they made to imitate the animals and birds were so real, it was as if we really were in the spirit world of the animals....Inside cover: Twelve-year-old Minuk is intrigued by the Hoffs, the American missionary family that has moved into her village.Although she has seen white men before, Minuk has never seen a white woman-or a white child. It soon becomes clear that although the Hoffs can speak Yup'ik language, they don't understand Yup'ik ways. When Mr. Hoff begins interfering with village ceremonies, even Minuk wonders why the missionary is so sure his ways are better than Yup'ik ways.

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