Salt: A Story of Friendship in a Time of War by Helen Frost

James and Anikwa, a young boy in the Miami Indian tribe, are friends in 1812 America. They explore the wilderness together, and they try to teach each words from their languages. The Indians and settlers trade goods they each need, and salt is one of them. The friendships are strained when British and Americans armies start heading to the area. Other tribes want to join the British, because they fear the Americans will take away their lands. The Miami tribe is caught in the middle. They don't want to do anything to hurt their settler friends, but they can't fight against their Indian friends. The clock id ticking as the opposing armies draw closer.

The book is written in prose. This may turn off some readers, but it makes the plot move more quickly. I enjoyed the interactions between James and Anikwa, but I could see trouble brewing between them. The other characters created doubt in their minds and innocent events created conflicts.