Ghost Paddle

When I was in elementary school, I was a dedicated reader, going through nearly every book in the school library. This book was one that I read at that time and it fascinated me. The plot is about Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest and they have been at war for many years. The setting is after white traders have arrived but before the settlers began taking over. Hooits is the young son of chief Wasco and they reside on a large island on the seacoast. Wasco is tired of the war with the Inland tribes and wants to make peace. Towards this end, he takes a small, unarmed delegation upriver to the main camp of the Inland tribes. After a battle between Hooits and a giant slave of the Inland tribe that ends in a draw, the decision is made to make peace and a great feast commences. The sense of adventure, drama and the setting of Native tribes kept me spellbound when I read it in my youth. Now, as I reread the book the look back into my life and the peek into the lost culture of these Native American tribes were still interesting, even though the reading level is much lower than what is my usual fare.