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Because she has been very ill and weak, River cannot join in the dancing at this year's tribal powwow, she can only watch from the sidelines as her sisters and cousins dance the celebration--but as the drum beats she finds the faith to believe that she will recover and dance again.

"Nikosis grew up going to powwows with his family, happily immersed in music, dance and the sounds of the drum. But when he starts going to daycare, he doesn't feel like he belongs. Nikosis cries every time his mother leaves him in the unfamiliar environment until, one day, she and the teachers use drums to help Nikosis find connection and comfort. Inspired by her son's experience--and her family's love of powwow music and dance--Indigenous educator...

"Benjamin loves the rain. He loves splashing in puddles and kicking the droplets. And most of all, he loves the sound of thunder because it reminds him of the drum his grandfather plays at powwow. There's nothing better than being outside in the rain, enjoying all the colors and sounds of the storm--until the lightning comes. Benjamin doesn't like the lightning at all! But when he closes his eyes and listens to the sound of the thunder, he imagines...

Tink, tink, tink, tink, sang cone-shaped jingles sewn to Grandma Wolfe's dress. Jenna's heart beats to the brum, brum, brum, brum of the powwow drum as she daydreams about the clinking song of her grandma's jingle dancing. Jenna loves the tradition of jingle dancing that has been shared by generations of women in her family, and she hopes to dance at the next powwow. But she has a problem -- how will her dress sing if it has no jingles?