The Sorrow of the Seasons (U)

Fawn Blackstone and Brave Elk seem to have little in common. They come from different worlds, but as both come of age in the New American West of the early 1800s, they will face similar tragedies and emotional challenges. Fawn, at the age of ten, follows her enterprising family from the comfort and safety of Pennsylvania to the frontier of Illinois. In the wilderness of her new life, tragedy strikes repeatedly.When Fawn, bereaved and frightened, is captured by a fur trapper with the evilest of intentions, she will rely on an unexpected source for guidance. Brave Elk lives farther west in Wyoming. As a member of the Cheyenne tribe, he endures several dangerous rites of passage to reach adulthood. Just when he thinks he has found happiness and comfort, it too is snatched away. Both Fawn and Brave Elk will be forced on dangerous adventures in the years ahead. For the two of them, physical challenge is only part of the journey. Both seek a way to heal from the sorrows of their lives. Author Jenee Compagnone tells parallel tales of the strength of the human spirit and the hope to be found just beyond the sunset.