Kaya and Lone Dog: A Friendship Story

American Girl: Kaya #4

by Janet Beeler Shaw

When Kaya befriends a lone dog that has wandered near her camp, others in the village warn her to be careful. Dogs don't usually live by themselves, and some people think the lone dog is not to be trusted. But Kaya brings the dog food and can feel her gratefulness. After Lone Dog gives birth to pups, she lets Kaya be a part of her new family. When Kaya looks into Lone Dog's eyes, it's as if the dog is speaking to her. Kaya's grandmother tells her that if an animal speaks to her, she needs to listen. But as the pups grow older, Lone Dog has something else to say -- something that Kaya doesn't want to hear.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Historical, Fiction, Middle Grade, Animals, Native American

104 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Olde American Spirit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book four in the Kaya series much more. Kaya is continuing to learn to think of others first. She befriends a wolf/dog that desperately needs food to nourish her pups. Things got intense at times with dangers to Kaya and all the dogs.

*Editing to add that after finishing the series, this book was my favorite, so I increased the rating to 4 stars instead of 3.

While realistic, the other books in the series but a bit too gritty for the intended age group. Just my humble opinion. :)

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, reading for the first time as an adult, in advance of the Dolls of Our Lives 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.

More Kaya babble

Meet Kaya | Kaya’s Escape | Kaya’s Hero | Kaya and Lone Dog | Kaya Shows the Way | Changes for Kaya

Kaya and the River Girl | Kaya’s Short Story Collection

The Silent Stranger | The Ghost Wind Stallion

The Roar of the Falls

[RaspberryRoses · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of really interesting stuff - particularly in seeing how both Kaya and her culture handle grief. I really loved that aspect of these books!

However, another big focus of this book is Kaya Befriending A Dog The Adults In Her Life Tell Her Not To Befriend Because She Could Be In Danger. And I'm not going to claim my disdain for this plotline is entirely noble - I've certainly enjoyed AG books which have their protagonists model much more dangerous behavior. But it just kept making me worried!

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in this series and I am trying to read all of these, partly because I want to learn Kaya's story and to see her further adventures with Steps High her horse. But this one was about her and a dog named Lone Dog.

In here, Kaya remembers the promise she had made in the previous book. Sometimes people make promises but they don't keep them. Or they forget. But Kaya is a good role model. She remembered her promise (after a slight lapse) and found a new friend in Lone Dog.

We also learn that Kaya is different than the other women in her tribe and that it is ok to be different. She has different strengths. And her future may lie along different paths. She has the gift of communication with animals and that is a great gift indeed. And there is another horse in here; a gentle old gray. Plus we learn how the tribes treated injured hooves.

Lots of events happen including a big get-together. Plus there is a big exciting climax at the end too! Danger galore with an unexpected hero.

This book also shows how important dogs were to the tribes and the purpose they held. Plus it teaches the difference between dogs, coyotes and wolves in a simple way.

I am also beginning to learn and pick up the words in Nez Perce language, especially ones that are used often from book to book. So they are sinking into my memory.

Looking forward to reading the next books, hopefully tonight.

[Erin Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a dog person, I really appreciated this one. The descriptions of dog behavior are spot on and loveable. I'm enjoying following Kaya's character growth through the series.

[Kit Sinatra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
This one is my favorite in the series so far, the lessons are good and the descriptions of life as a Nimiipuu are the best. I really liked Kaya’s bond with Lone wolf and how she saved her brother from the bear.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

doggie :)

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really an animal person, but this was a really sweet story. Again, Kaya reminds me of Felicity in how both learn to let go of creatures they love.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Joey Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was probably my least favourite of the books so far, it was still a great read and I am loving learning more about Kaya and her world by reading them, but it just wasn’t as exciting or interesting to me personally.

I did like though how delicate she was with lone dog, she saved her and helped her and gained her trust, it was no easy feat and seemed to take up a lot of her time to do so but she wasn’t going to let her down due to a promise she made, which I thought was really sweet.

I also liked that she cares so much for the horse that needed healing too, she is already following in her namesakes footsteps which is so sweet and a great way to tie that in throughout this book. I adore her new little puppy Tatlo he’s adorable and will be a great helper by her side.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always really liked this one because of the dogs. Still really like this one because of the dogs. But also glad to see the character development in Kaya up to this point. She acts so responsible in relation to alone Dog and really does the right thing in the end.

[Chanda Scobee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kaya American Girl Series was my favorite as a kid, so I decided to re-read the series this year to remind myself of the story and to see how it holds up after so much time. I still loved this series! It’s educational, beautifully illustrated, and full of lessons, intense adventures and conflicts, and so much characterization and development. There were a lot of aspects of Kaya that upon a re-read, I realized I related to or admired about her, and I think that, mixed with her cultural background was a lot of the reason she was so special to me growing up. It gave me a lot of insight into my inner child by reconnecting with this piece.

I recommend this series, and other American Girl series, for readers who enjoy learning about history, culture, and diversity, as well as engaging stories full of danger, coming of age themes, and much more. I appreciated the inclusion, not only of Indigenous tribes and representation, but also of a deaf character, a slave, and more. This series is quite progressive for it’s time, and my biggest criticism now is that an indigenous writer wasn’t tasked to tell the story, but beyond that, I feel as though it’s aged well and stands true in representation and awareness. I love the history excerpts in the back, the vocabulary and illustrations that aid in the telling of the story, and the history embedded throughout.

If you would prefer to read indigenous stories by an indigenous author, I also recommend these stories:
• “Faye and the Dangerous Journey: An Ojibwe Removal Survival Story”
• “Little by Little: You Can Change the World”
• “A Snake Falls to Earth”
• “Buffalo Dreamer”
• “Find Her”
• “Heroes of the Water Monster”
• “Lei and the Fire Goddess”
• “Liar’s Test”
• “Little Moons”
• “Ancestory Approved”
• “The Storyteller”
• “We Still Belong”
• “Red Bird Danced”
• “Stealing Little Moon”
• “Rez Ball”
• “Firekeeper’s Daughter”
• “Funeral Songs for Dying Girls”
• “Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition”

Books 110-115
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more this series progresses, the more I find myself enjoying it. I wasn't sure I liked Kaya all that much at first. She seemed a bit sulky and self-absorbed. However, as we've gone deeper into her story, there is definite character development. Her experiences are shaping her. I especially like that you can see a direct correlation between the events she has navigated and the areas in which she is showing more maturity. Would a young reader catch onto this? Maybe not consciously, but the message is there nevertheless: how we choose to react to the circumstances we encounter in life can determine the quality of our character. Let's talk about what else I liked:

What I liked about Kaya and Lone Dog:
Acting on convictions - I appreciated that Kaya is being intentional and thoughtful about her actions. She is still showing respect for her elders while beginning to forge her own path into the kind of person she wishes to be. She wants to be true to her word. She wants to honor Swan Circling. She wants to be compassionate and responsible. She wants to be a participant in her community. These are all excellent messages for a child reading this series during their formative years.
Lone Dog - This was a great plot line for this series. It was self-contained and yet... not. I also felt like each nuance of the Lone Dog story served a very specific purpose in the storyline.
The cultural aspects of the story - I am intrigued by the seasonal rituals of the Nimiipuu. I love that they have a particular pattern that they follow year after year, and that Kaya isn't resentful of the repetition but rather looks forward to it with anticipation. That is something I feel like we've lost as a society, always craving something novel at the expense ritual and tradition.

What I didn't care for:
I had no complaints about this one - This has turned into a solid series.

This has been the best book in the series to this point. It is a historical and cultural lesson without ever feeling like you're learning. And I am learning some truly interesting things! This makes the C.S. Lewis quote about (and I paraphrase) no book being worth reading as a child that isn't also worth reading as an adult.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every new book I read in Kaya's series seems like it could potentially become my new favorite. I know I said that the last book was my favorite, but I did really enjoy this one too. I'm always a sucker for stories about animals. (Hence, in part, why I really liked that Boy Named Bat book I read earlier this year.)

The only thing I feel unsure about with this book, though, is the anthropomorphization of Lone Dog. By that I mean her having the ability to "talk" to Kaya. Really, her thoughts and words were assumed by Kaya, but still. Animals don't have voices like we humans do. They communicate through sounds and gestures. I guess it made sense in the end when I read the historical context, which said that Nez Perce people used to believe that animals could speak to them. But it just had me thinking back to something I read in my Children's Literature class in college, that realistic animal stories (rather than fantastical ones) shouldn't anthropomorphize the animals in any way. Which, to my understanding, means giving them even assumed thoughts and feelings. I would think this book, being historical fiction, would be considered a realistic animal story, BUT given that additional context, I'll let the anthro stuff slide. It did take me out of the book a little bit when I read it, but now I have a better understanding of why it's there.

I was sad to see Lone Dog go, in the end, but I'm glad Kaya got to keep one of her pups, at least. I do feel like I remember seeing a dog as part of Kaya's collection, back in the day. Now I know where that dog came from!

Oh, also, really dreading the day that Two Hawks leaves Kaya's tribe for good. I like their friendship a lot, even if we've seen very little of it since they survived their escape from that rival tribe. Wish we could spend more time with them. I wonder if the strict gender roles of the Nez Perce tribe is why they've been so separated. I mean, this book basically establishes that Two Hawks is considered one of the boys now, which... I have mixed feelings about. Hopefully we don't see him leave for good until book 6!

[TheBookishHobbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful Kaya story, which this one is about keeping her promise to not turn away another stray dog after experiencing hunger as a captive and slave. I really enjoyed this story I felt like this was a chance for Kaya to keep that promise. I also liked that this story more than anything, was about letting who we love go. This was done for Lone Dog because she is meant to be free, not someone's pet. Kautsa taught Kaya that sometimes when we love someone with all our hearts, we need to let them go. I wonder if this also was a lesson implying Swan Circling's death to also let her go in a sense so Kaya can move past grief. Either way, this was a beautiful story.

[Amanda Van Parys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaya exhibits her growth and shows patience and kindness to a lone dog. Everyone tells her to leave this Lone Dog be since the alpha of their dog pack doesn't like her. But she is alone and pregnant, so Kaya visits her every day to bring her food after she scared the dog off when she first saw her and then remembered her vow to never turn away a starving animal after her experience during capture. Her kindness and patience pays off when she is able to spend time with the dog and her pups which is fulfilling to her. In the end, she is able to keep the pups and bring them into her tribe's pack, keeping one, Talto, as her pet that she will care for and train.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the literary merit is not the highest, there is some good vocabulary here. What I appreciate most about this book - and others in the series - is that it takes a girl with childish flaws and shows her developing self-mastery and growth as she works to become the person she wants to be, which is a great example for girls of this age who are going through the same things. As usual, I love the section at the end of the book that gives us some history and information about the Nez Perce people, their lifestyle, and traditions.

[Lydia Therese]

This was sweet. Unrealistic, but it does seem to reflect the religious/spiritual beliefs of the Nez Perce people well.

Book 11/264 (4.1% of the way done)
I am currently in the process of reading all 260-ish American Girl fiction books in chronological order. It's a project I decided to start just for fun, since I have many of the books already in my own personal collection. It will probably take me several years, but I'm hoping to leave a review for each book. Follow along if you're interested! :)

[Meghan McFarland · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far I have found the Kaya series the hardest to get into of any American Girl series as there is little to relate to and sadly my knowledge on the culture and customs of the Nimiipuu tribe (or of any indigenous tribe) is incredibly lacking (the US education system always failing us🙃). However, I really enjoyed this one for her connection to Lone Dog (very much an animal person myself) and how it helped to ease her journey with grief. This book probably has the most character development for Kaya that didn’t include throwing her into trauma and I greatly enjoyed that.

[Katie Kaste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaya is still missing her sister, when she comes across a dog who is starving and about to give birth to puppies. She helps the mom get food and care for her little ones. When the puppies are old enough to leave Lone Dog goes on with her life. The puppies stay and joy the other dogs on the tribe. Kaya has to learn how to accept the changes life brings. Kaya is such an amazing young lady. She lives her life to the fullest and listens to her elders when share their stories.

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very sweet to watch Kaya with the dogs, but I really don't like the trope of "child knows better than the adults around her," which I think was going on here. Plus, more weird spiritual stuff! Yay! (not)

Also, obligatory mention of how I don't care at all about her stupid nickname. And I feel like Speaking Rain was only an afterthought in this book. BOO.

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Rubi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaya befriends a lone dog that has four puppies. Be prepared for adorableness with this one 😍😂
The illustrations were beautiful and really portrayed how cute these pups were and how much Kaya loved them.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was lovely. Kaya makes a new friend, a dog named Lone Dog and Lone Dogs puppies. What an adventure! There was some action towards the end where Lone Dog and Kaya have to save Kaya’s brother and the ending itself was really nice. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was one of the more light-hearted stories in this series. Seeing Kaya gain Lone Dog’s trust over time was very sweet. And then she gets a puppy! TBH, I always wanted the doll version of her puppy when I was a kid. I thought Tatlo was adorable LOL and I still do

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a very gentle read that really focused on caring and respecting animals. Kaya's books have impressed me so far because you can really tell that a TON of research went into them. I don't think I've felt as immersed into a culture/time period as I have with Kaya's stories.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending made me want to cry and smile at the same time!

"I think your mother sent you to be my dog now."
"But in her heart, Kaya knew that Lone Dog had gone on her way alone as she needed to be."

[Queenie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how she help out the lone dogs and how there is a problem she always go back to it.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one isn't my favorite of the Kaya books, but it is fine.

[Emma McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the book Kaya and Lone Dog because Kaya's new friend is a dog and the dog is named Lone Dog. She has pups and one of the dogs joins the pack.