The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
impybelle's review
4.0
Oddly enough, I think this is the one that made me tear up most, simply because when you look at it, up til this point everything Kaya loves seems to disappear. So it makes sense that she'd want something as close to permanent as a pet would be.
And of course, since she's Kaya, it doesn't work out quite as well as she'd hoped.
And of course, since she's Kaya, it doesn't work out quite as well as she'd hoped.
kkaste's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
thewordwitch's review
3.0
I'm kind of at a loss for how I feel about the Kaya series. It's a difficult series to read, each book having its own traumatic incident for Kaya to cope with, and there seems to be very few moments of joy. It kind of makes me feel like I'm going back to the Josefina series where she was constantly grieving her mother and feeling shame for things that, as a nine year old, she shouldn't. The same seems to be happening with Kaya as we go through the series. Kaya can't work in the fields with the other women, because she's not happy enough. It's as if she's supposed to feel bad for feeling bad when she has lost so many people and animals that she cares about.
I'm also reading this series hot on the heels of reading through Molly, and the contrast is startling. Molly's books are incredibly privileged. In her fourth book, her biggest source of drama was a conflict over how to run a birthday and wanting to have cake over a lemon tart. She gets a dog. In Kaya's fourth book, she has to deal with a bear almost turning one of her little brother's into a snack, grief from losing her sister, her horse, and her hero. She gets a dog, but after parting with the pup's mother, whom she had truly bonded with.
I feel like these books are missing joy. I know as a kid I definitely would have been handed these books. My family always enjoyed learning about Indigenous culture. I'd go to the library where they'd have an Indigenous story-teller come in and tell us stories from her people. I would sit there enraptured and then take out books so I could learn more. I am not sure how a little version of me would have reacted to these books. There are so many beautiful things about Indigenous people, and I don't feel like these books highlight them. (Also, why aren't they written by an Indigenous author?) My favorite part in the series was the courting dance that Brown Deer participated in.
In these books Kaya is continually shamed or made to feel guilt for traits that feel more like strengths to me. I'm not sure what kind of message this is sending to young female readers.
I'm also reading this series hot on the heels of reading through Molly, and the contrast is startling. Molly's books are incredibly privileged. In her fourth book, her biggest source of drama was a conflict over how to run a birthday and wanting to have cake over a lemon tart. She gets a dog. In Kaya's fourth book, she has to deal with a bear almost turning one of her little brother's into a snack, grief from losing her sister, her horse, and her hero. She gets a dog, but after parting with the pup's mother, whom she had truly bonded with.
I feel like these books are missing joy. I know as a kid I definitely would have been handed these books. My family always enjoyed learning about Indigenous culture. I'd go to the library where they'd have an Indigenous story-teller come in and tell us stories from her people. I would sit there enraptured and then take out books so I could learn more. I am not sure how a little version of me would have reacted to these books. There are so many beautiful things about Indigenous people, and I don't feel like these books highlight them. (Also, why aren't they written by an Indigenous author?) My favorite part in the series was the courting dance that Brown Deer participated in.
In these books Kaya is continually shamed or made to feel guilt for traits that feel more like strengths to me. I'm not sure what kind of message this is sending to young female readers.
meaganmart's review
3.0
Best book in the series so far. I enjoyed watching Kaya’s character have the space for some growth in this novel. It was nice to see her reflect on her promise to never again turn away a hungry dog after her time as a “slave” with another tribe.
panda_incognito's review
3.0
This was one of the Kaya books that I remembered the least about. It is certainly one of the more lackluster ones in the series, but it progresses her character arc of learning to be more responsible and make fewer impulse decisions, and it has a good message about loving and letting go. I also appreciate how Kaya continues to grieve and process the events of the previous book, because even though this story does not wallow in sadness, it shows how greatly this loss is affecting Kaya's life and emotions.
lilybearillini3's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
simplyparticular's review against another edition
3.0
This review is from the perspective of a mother - Kaya's fourth book focuses on Kaya's love of animals, and hints at her special skills in this area.
Kaya continues to be a bit impetuous, but she is showing development and more thoughtfulness. She remembers a previous vow and helps a pregnant wolf/dog hybrid, even though her family cautions that it could be dangerous to her and others. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending to this book, as a parent. Kaya takes big risks with Lone Dog, and the consequences end up being emotional (she loses another animal), rather than the more likely outcome of a person being hurt. The good news is that for once, Kaya gets to keep something!
One of the more realistic things about the Kaya series is that she does continue to grieve the people and animals she has lost.
Kaya continues to be a bit impetuous, but she is showing development and more thoughtfulness. She remembers a previous vow and helps a pregnant wolf/dog hybrid, even though her family cautions that it could be dangerous to her and others. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending to this book, as a parent. Kaya takes big risks with Lone Dog, and the consequences end up being emotional (she loses another animal), rather than the more likely outcome of a person being hurt. The good news is that for once, Kaya gets to keep something!
One of the more realistic things about the Kaya series is that she does continue to grieve the people and animals she has lost.
piburnjones's review against another edition
5.0
Again, reading for the first time as an adult, in advance of the American Girls podcast.
This isn't actually a "Happy Birthday" book, as the fourth book was for earlier American Girl characters, and yet - just as every AG "Happy Birthday" book must - we have an animal plotline.
Caro, Jip, and Bennett, please welcome Tatlo to the AG pupper hall of fame! (Why are AG puppies all male?)
Of course the "Lone Dog" in the title is Tatlo's mother. Kaya, feeling lonely, sympathizes with the hungry dog and befriends her, but ultimately Lone Dog must follow her nature. She doesn't want to become part of the pack, though Tatlo does. (And unlike Jip and Bennett, he actually shows up in the rest of the series.)
Kaya has an abundance of reasons to feel lonely: Swan Circling is dead, Speaking Rain hasn't been found, and the other kids are still calling her "Magpie." With all these sad thoughts, she can't dig kouse roots with the other girls and women - which becomes yet another reason to feel left out.
(As a tangent, I want to look for more information around this belief that negative feelings could cause physical harm. From the tiny bit we get here, I'm left wondering if Kaya's culture was kinder to things like depression, or if this created pressure to push feelings away and not process them.)
I like the way Kaya's father helps her use this time in a way that makes good use of her love and skill with horses. I'd really love a frank discussion of gender roles and status in this culture, actually. So many tasks are clearly gendered, but I don't have a sense for whether horse training is. They may both be Horse Girls, but the way Kaya interacts with horses is very different from, say, how Felicity interacts with horses.
I'm not surprised that Kaya's vow from a previous book - to never again chase away hungry dogs after her experience as a captive - is put to the test. And I like the way she talks things out with her family. Even when they don't come to the conclusion she was hoping for, she takes their concerns to heart, AND it doesn't stop her from discussing the topic again later. Feels like there's a lot of healthy communication in these.
This one is pretty gentle in pace, while also spanning a fairly long time - the puppies are born and grow old enough to leave their mother. With people from many tribes gathering to dig kouse roots, Two Hawks is reunited with his uncle. The other big excitement is the bear, a very close parallel to Kirsten Saves the Day. Sparrow has a close call, but narratively, you know he's not in danger any more than Peter was.
I had wondered if Kaya's not-Happy Birthday book would be the story of her vision quest. Nope! Peek Into the Past says that typically happened closer to 12-13 years old, but it's mentioned often enough through the series that I assumed it was foreshadowing. Oh well.
This isn't actually a "Happy Birthday" book, as the fourth book was for earlier American Girl characters, and yet - just as every AG "Happy Birthday" book must - we have an animal plotline.
Caro, Jip, and Bennett, please welcome Tatlo to the AG pupper hall of fame! (Why are AG puppies all male?)
Of course the "Lone Dog" in the title is Tatlo's mother. Kaya, feeling lonely, sympathizes with the hungry dog and befriends her, but ultimately Lone Dog must follow her nature. She doesn't want to become part of the pack, though Tatlo does. (And unlike Jip and Bennett, he actually shows up in the rest of the series.)
Kaya has an abundance of reasons to feel lonely: Swan Circling is dead, Speaking Rain hasn't been found, and the other kids are still calling her "Magpie." With all these sad thoughts, she can't dig kouse roots with the other girls and women - which becomes yet another reason to feel left out.
(As a tangent, I want to look for more information around this belief that negative feelings could cause physical harm. From the tiny bit we get here, I'm left wondering if Kaya's culture was kinder to things like depression, or if this created pressure to push feelings away and not process them.)
I like the way Kaya's father helps her use this time in a way that makes good use of her love and skill with horses. I'd really love a frank discussion of gender roles and status in this culture, actually. So many tasks are clearly gendered, but I don't have a sense for whether horse training is. They may both be Horse Girls, but the way Kaya interacts with horses is very different from, say, how Felicity interacts with horses.
I'm not surprised that Kaya's vow from a previous book - to never again chase away hungry dogs after her experience as a captive - is put to the test. And I like the way she talks things out with her family. Even when they don't come to the conclusion she was hoping for, she takes their concerns to heart, AND it doesn't stop her from discussing the topic again later. Feels like there's a lot of healthy communication in these.
This one is pretty gentle in pace, while also spanning a fairly long time - the puppies are born and grow old enough to leave their mother. With people from many tribes gathering to dig kouse roots, Two Hawks is reunited with his uncle. The other big excitement is the bear, a very close parallel to Kirsten Saves the Day. Sparrow has a close call, but narratively, you know he's not in danger any more than Peter was.
I had wondered if Kaya's not-Happy Birthday book would be the story of her vision quest. Nope! Peek Into the Past says that typically happened closer to 12-13 years old, but it's mentioned often enough through the series that I assumed it was foreshadowing. Oh well.