Considered a classic of American nature writing, this collection of stories is essentially a frame tale set in the New York Museum of Natural History, where two children discover displays that come to life and admit them into a series of exciting adventures that include talking animals and magical travels through the vast landscapes of the pre-Columbian continent. Along the way, the children discover the lifeways of the ancient Native Americans and the natural worlds they inhabited, as well as the impact on both Indians and wildlife from contact with European explorers and Euro-Americans. Told by a variety of narrators, including some of the animals, the stories offer a perceptible and sympathetic view of the natural history of North America and Native American-white relations.