Thirteen-year-old Celinda McKelvey is about to participate in her Kinaaldá, a Navajo coming-of-age ceremony for girls. Over two days, with the support of her extended family and friends, she will run a race, prepare a corncake to be baked in the earth and stay up through the night as traditional prayers are sung, all the while learning more about the Navajo culture. Celinda's preparations for and participation in this important event are recorded through documentary photographs and text that unite the history of the ceremony and the Navajo people with a girl's transition into womanhood. (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.