A legend of the Ojibway people tells the story of Ininatig, the man-tree who saved the people from starving long ago when he showed them how to collect the sap that flowed from his skin when it was cut. The tradition of maple sugarmaking and thanking the trees each spring is continued at a sugarbush outside of Minneapolis by a 73-year-old Ojibway man named Porky, a member of the Loon clan, who has turned the annual event into a hands-on learning experience for adults and children alike. Text and photographs follow Porky, his family and friends, and countless visitors to the camp through the step-by-step process of sugarmaking, from collecting the proper tools to tapping the trees to boiling the clear sweet liquid into gold maple syrup or sugar. (Ages 7-11)

In this unique series, Native American authors examine their cultural traditions, from Navajo rug weaving in the Southwest to wild rice gathering in northern Minnesota. Each book describes these customs as they are seen through the eyes of the participants and discusses how Native American people maintain their cultural identities in contemporary society.