Chapter 4, Families - The Root Systems Summary and Analysis

This chapter begins with a review of fourteen-year-old Franchesca, an adopted Native American girl with white parents. Franchesca is a happy child, but when she enters puberty, she begins to think more about her heritage and her biological parents. She loves her adoptive parents and does not want to upset them by discussing these issues. Her grades begin to suffer, and she stops spending time with her childhood friends. She also begins drinking and staying out all night. Dr. Pipher believes that her curiosity about her ancestry is perfectly normal at this age. She encourages her to read Native American authors.

Franchesca follows Dr. Pipher's advice. She visits an abandoned Native American school with her parents. She also attends a conference for Native Americans, and begins volunteering at the Native American...