Cady, a 13-year-old girl of Native American heritage, has experienced big changes in the past year—her father’s marriage to a much younger woman, a new baby brother, and a move from Minnesota to Michigan where she is attending a reservation school for the first time in her life. One day at school Cady finds an eagle feather on the hallway floor and reports it to the principal. He thanks her for this act of honor and tells her that a mystery might soon appear in her life.Not long after, Cady discovers an antique Indian beaded necklace hidden under the floor of her bedroom closet. She knows she’s found it for a reason but what is the reason? Is this the mystery the principal predicted might appear? She consults with the elders who tell her it is her “job” to find out why. In the process of solving this mystery Cady’s home life calms down and she draws closer to the teachings and traditions of her culture. Helping her are new friends Irish, John Ray Chicaug, and a crazy talking blue jay. Solving the mystery of a necklace becomes an adventurous coming-of-age story for Cady Whirlwind Thunder, 14, who is new to the Four Eagles School on the Woodland Indian reservation. Cady's life is filled with typical teen problems in school and at home where her father has just remarried and there's a new baby interrupting Cady's life and curtailing her freedom. The handsome John Ray, 16, provides a subplot filled with its own kind of mystery, challenges for Cady, and sweet romance. John Ray has interesting characters in his own life who might help Cady solve the mystery of the origin of the bear necklace. From page one onward and all the way to the end, I was enthralled by the story, its interesting characters, the mystery plot, the author's beautiful writing style spiced with wisdom and humor, and what I learned about tribal cultures and customs. For so many reasons, I highly recommend Cady and the Bear Necklace by Ann Dallman. --Christine DeSmet, mystery author, writing coach, and writing retreat director, University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Studies Ann Dallman has won numerous awards for her writing and has presented her work at national conferences. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Madison (Journalism Education) and received her MA from Viterbo University. A former teacher, she has written for Marquette Monthly , Country , Farm and Ranch , Winds of Change , Chess Life , Salon Today , and American Salon magazines and the Green Bay Press Gazette . She was the writer and organizing force behind the book Sam English: The Life, Times and Works of an Artist, 2009 PEAK International Award winner, and compiled/edited The Hannahville Poets . She resides in Menominee, MI.