Cady Whirlwind Thunder Mysteries

Cady, a 13-year-old girl of Native American heritage, has experienced major changes in the past year--her father's marriage to a younger woman, a new baby brother, and a move from Minnesota to Michigan, where she attends a reservation school for the first time. One school day, Cady finds an eagle feather on the floor outside a classroom and reports it to the principal. When thanking her for this act of honor, he tells her that a mystery might soon appear in her life. Later, Cady discovers an antique Indian beaded necklace hidden under the floor of her bedroom closet.

In Cady and the Birchbark Box, Cady Whirlwind Thunder solves the mystery behind a weathered journal found inside an old birchbark box. Why was the box buried behind a deserted garage? This is the question her friend and "crush", John Ray Chicaug, asks Cady after the two of them find it. And what meaning do the notes in the book have? Cady's grandma and her ever-present companion, a noisy blue jay, encourage her as she puts together the pieces and ultimately restores the reputation of a deceased elder.

Cady's mother disappeared when Cady was only six. Now about to turn fourteen, Cady aches for her mother to be with her. In an attempt to curb her granddaughter's angry outbursts, Grandma Winnie takes Cady on a road trip throughout Wisconsin and Michigan. "We'll repeat the trip your mother took when she was your age and maybe you'll learn more about her," Grandma tells Cady. Adding to Cady's stress is the deadline for her essay entry in Barnesville's centennial celebration.