Walk Two Moons

Salamanca Tree Hiddle travels with Gram and Gramps from Ohio toward Lewiston, Idaho, following the route taken by her mother. During the trip, she tells them the story of her friend Phoebe Winterbottom.

Phoebe's belief that her mother has been kidnapped gives Sal a way to examine her own mother's disappearance indirectly. As the two narratives unfold, Sal begins to confront truths she has avoided about loss and abandonment.

It comes from the novel's recurring advice not to judge someone until you have walked two moons in that person's moccasins. The phrase reflects the book's emphasis on empathy and understanding another person's hidden grief.

Sharon Creech's novel received the 1995 Newbery Medal for its contribution to American children's literature. The book is especially noted for its nested storytelling, distinctive voice and treatment of grief through a young narrator.