Miyax, like many adolescents, is torn. But unlike most, her choices may determine whether she lives or dies. At 13, an orphan, and unhappily married, Miyax runs away from her husband's parents' home, hoping to reach San Francisco and her pen pal. But she becomes lost in the vast Alaskan tundra, with no food, no shelter, and no idea which is the way to safety. Now, more than ever, she must look hard at who she really is. Is she Miyax, Eskimo girl of the old ways? Or is she Julie (her "gussak"-white people-name), the modernized teenager who must mock the traditional customs? And when a pack of wolves begins to accept her into their community, Miyax must learn to think like a wolf as well. If she trusts her Eskimo instincts, will she stand a chance of surviving?
Jean Craighead was born in Washington. Her parents and extended family were naturalists, and she spent weekends during her childhood camping out in the woods, studying nature, foraging, and fishing. Her first pet was a turkey vulture.
In 1940, George graduated from Pennsylvania State University with degrees in both English and Science. She became a reporter for The Washington Post and was a member of the White House Press Corps. In 1944 she married John Lothur George, and began writing novels with him which she illustrated. She divorced in 1963. In 1960 she received a Newbery Honor for *My Side of the Mountain*. In 1969, she went to work for *Readers Digest* as a writer and editor. She has written over 100 books.
