A fourteen-year old is forced to move from her beloved ranch to an urban area where she deals with discrimination, charges of drug possession, boyfriends, the pleasure of sex, and the rigors of qualifying for college. Horses, artistic exploration and friendships sustain her as she navigates her new life. Throughout turbulent high school years, Yellow Bird is encouraged by the voice of her dead Shoshone grandfather who mentored her on the ranch -- and she discovers Indian values can work in harmony with her new culture.