Cloyd Attcity is a 14-year-old misfit who flunks all his classes and often runs away to hitchhike or roam the canyons of southern Utah. His mother was a Ute who died in childbirth, and his father, Leeno, a Navajo, disappeared, so Cloyd was raised by his lenient grandmother. He loves the outdoors and can spend days climbing the canyons near his ancestral home. Strong and smart, he has a “large, round face” and skin that’s “the deepest shade of brown. His limbs were rounded, undefined […]. Shiny black hair hung straight to his shoulders” (19).

Cloyd’s dream of reuniting with his father ends when he finds the man lying brain-dead in a hospital. With little else to live for, Cloyd spends a summer at the ranch of Walter Landis, where he learns the hard lessons of family, responsibility, caring, and respect. His mistakes are huge, but his heart proves even bigger still. He resolves to become worthy of the spiritual greatness of his ancestors, and his struggle to meet that challenge gives him the strength to repair the damage between him and Walter and form with him a family-like relationship. He grows from a preoccupied, lost boy into a young man of dedication, courage, and compassion, willing to risk himself for those he loves.