The year is 1892. An Inupiat Eskimo mother finds herself far from the village at winter camp. And now her husband has died. Although Qutuuq (coo-took) is far along in pregnancy, and her children are only seven and nine, the little family sets out toward the Bering Sea coast. Weak from effort and starvation, they plod along each bend in the frozen river until Qutuuq goes into labor. Certain that her own death is imminent, the woman makes a decision that will haunt her forever. Likewise, this powerful narrative will haunt readers long after they close the book. Shared by Qutuuq's great-granddaughter, this true story has been handed down from generation to generation in a culture sustained by its oral history. Family photos round out our understanding of harsh living in this remote region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Loretta Outwater Cox is an Inupiaq woman, born in Nome, Alaska, and raised in various villages around the Seward Peninsula. She holds a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in education administration. Loretta taught school in western Alaska for twenty-three years. She and her husband, Skip, have four children and five grandchildren.