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Gloria and her husband Joseph moved from Detroit to the woods of northern Michigan several years ago.Many of Gloria's books take place during the summer -- because she does a lot of her writing during the northern Michigan blizzards!Gloria has been telling stories for as long as she can remember.Before she could read or write, she used to dictate stories to her baby-sitter, who would type them out.Being an only child, many of Gloria's stories were about having a brother or sister. Gloria would like to have written Little Women, because Jo March was one of her role models growing up! Gloria once had a set of five wtching guinea pigs, all named after Detroit Tiger baseball players!
In 1840, Libby and her parents live in Michigan, near a Potawatomi settlement. A young Indian girl (Libby's father calls her Fawn because she resembles a deer) befriends Libby, who sneaks away to visit Fawn's village while her own mother is giving birth. When the Indians are seized by white militia intent on moving them west, Libby is captured with them. Fawn's father leads his family and Libby in an escape that's notably without drama, returning Libby to her parents; Fawn's family heads north. Whelan's narrative is simple and readable, including a few basic insights into Indian and pioneer life (e.g., the Native Americans occasionally eat dogs). But her plot is languid, while the girls aren't drawn vividly enough to give their friendship much intensity. Gentle b&w illustrations. (Kirkus Reviews)
