Coinciding with Coronado's conquest of Zuni villages in 1540, fourteen-year-old Running Antelope, a Hopi youth, is caught up in the violence and intrigue resulting from these Spanish incursions northward to Hopi villages and subsequently westward to the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Running Antelope's peaceful life is shattered when he witnesses the arrival of a band of strangers who have hairy white faces and animals that look like giant dogs. The death of his father at the hands of these intruders sets the stage for cultural expectations that place new responsibilities on his shoulders, and intentions of revenge that draw him into accompanying the Spaniards on their journey to the "Great Red River" and its "Canyon of Great Spirits." With courage and conviction, Running Antelope endures harsh treatment and an attempt on his life by the Spaniards, plus capture and confinement by nomadic "Old Enemies." If he can set his adversaries against each other, he might gain his freedom. Can he create such an opportunity, or must he seek an alternative course of action? This book tightly weaves Hopi culture and tradition, Spanish lust for gold, and normal inclinations of young adolescents into a fresh, riveting page-turner. Includes Readers Guide. * * * * Former Naval Reserve officer and elementary school principal Kirk Reeve's middle-grade chapter book "Lolo & Red-Legs" (Northland/Rising Moon) was selected as a Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies by the Children's Book Council, Inc., and was named a Commended Title for the Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature. His writing focus is on fiction for older children and young adults featuring characters of Mexican-American or Native American heritage."