Frances Nannauck Kraus takes her eleven-year-old granddaughter, Marissa, to Kake, Alaska—the place of much of their family history. On one of their walks, they climb up a hill to the tallest totem poles in the world. On their way up the hill, Fran tells Marissa stories about some of the history and traditions of the Tlingit people. Marissa begins to have a better understanding of her heritage and learns the importance of sharing that knowledge with others—by telling her stories.