Synopses & Reviews
An Indian brave stands poised to shoot a white deer drinking from a pool of water in the moonlight. It is only a dream—a recurring nightmare that haunts 15-year-old Janet Carson—but it is a dream that will change her life forever.
Janet, one of the few Anglo teens in the New Mexico art colony where she lives with her mother, feels isolated and alone. For some reason, she is drawn to Billy Honcho, an old, alcoholic Indian who begs for money from her. As they get to know each other, the meaning of Janet's nightmare grows clear, and Billy becomes the brave in her dream.
About the Author
"[Janet's] dream shows her a white deer at the mercy of an Indian brave, aiming an arrow from a taut bow. In Paulsen's eerily poetic writing, the reader finds the message that finally becomes clear to Janet. The novel is an allegory, rooted in the chasm between actualities and pretensions."
--Publishers Weekly
"Well worth reading."
--Kirkus Reviews
Author Q&A
author fun factsBorn: May 17 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Previous jobs: Farm hand, ranch hand, truck driver, sailor, dogsled racer, teacher, field engineer, editor, soldier, actor, director, trapper, professional archer, migrant farm worker, singer
Hobbies: Sailing, collecting and riding Harley Davidsons; twice ran the Iditarod, the challenging 1,000 mile dogsled race across Alaska
Inspiration for writing: After a librarian gave him a book to read--along with his own library card--Gary was hooked. He began spending hours alone in the basement of his apartment building, reading one book after another.
From the Hardcover edition.