Ariel, 11, and Tomah, 12, have been friends for years, growing up in the same intertribal apartment complex. Ariel’s Auntie Bineshiin, who lives with her and her mom, is missing, an absence that casts worry and sadness in their home and inspires Ariel (Ojibwe) to do a school project on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Tomah is a born observer of nature who loves sitting on a bench in front of his apartment and watching birds, and a born storyteller who loves learning and sharing traditional stories. But Tomah can’t read. Although he uses humor, especially at school, to hide this fact, his teacher, Ms. Begay, has caught on and wants to help him. When Auntie Bineshiin is found dead, it isn’t just Ariel and her mom who mourn her. The loss spurs Tomah to a symbolic act that draws their intertribal Native community together. Ariel, who has been reluctant to learn jingle dancing (she loves ballet but they can no longer afford lessons) embraces the healing dance for her aunt, and for Tomah, who is diagnosed with a heart condition. In the process, she discovers it is also a gift to herself. This emotionally compelling novel-in-verse alternates between Ariel and Tomah’s points of view and offers a powerful exploration of loss and healing, in addition to illuminating the cause of MMIW, and the deep sense of community among the diverse Native peoples.