I discovered William Kent Kruger through his Corcoran O'Connor series (which I also highly recommend. This one is a standalone. And a standout read. The characters of the four intrepid travelers are well-drawn and compelling. The Depression-era landscape is made concrete and real. The horrors of Native American boarding schools are set against the kids' not-to-be-denied intention to survive against all odds.

The first five or six reviews I browsed all say they'd give more than five stars if it were possible -- I think I agree.