Sweetgrass

In the summer of 1837, Sweetgrass, a Blackfoot girl with a lively mind, restlessly awaits permission to marry. Because her father is a man of means and is fond of her, she can reasonably presume that a desirable match will be made. But when? And can she respect its full effect on her future? Much of this coming-of-age story shows how Sweetgrass learns to value her role in the cultural pattern of her people, the ``beaded design.'' At the same time, it presents a heroine luckier and stronger than other women, particularly the poignant and resigned young bride, Pretty-Girl. Although the story line meanders, the final chapters, in which Sweetgrass nurses her family through a smallpox epidemic and a dreadful winter, are graphic and powerfully written. Especially convincing is the spark between Sweetgrass and Eagle-Sun, lovers who rarely speak or touch but make the most of a yearning glance. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)