Walk Two Moons

By: Sharon Creech

1995 Newbery Medal

Prominent Themes

• Error of Prejudging Others

• Maturation is a Journey

• Interconnectedness of Life

Searching for MeaningSal’s mother left on a journey to find who she was before when she was known

by the name Chanhassen and does not come back. Sal’s father is haunted by the presence of her mother in every corner of their family farm in Kentucky.

Sal’s father decides to move to Euclid, forcing Sal to leave the home she loves.

Walking in Mother’s MoccasinsSalamanca retraces the steps of her mother’s journey as she learns about herself on a road trip with Gram and Gramps as they travel from Ohio to

Lewiston, Idaho.

Euclid, OhioSal tells Gram and Gramps about the many adventures shared with

Phoebe Winterbottom since moving away from the farm in Kentucky.

Mysterious Messages

1. “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins”

2. “Everyone has his own agenda”

3. “In the course of a lifetime what does it matter”

4. “You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair”

5. “In life you have to make some sacrifices”

6. “We never know the wealth of water until the well is dry”

Black Hills “Sacred Holy Land” to Sioux “I’ve got nothing against the presidents, but you’d think the Sioux would be mighty sad to see those white faces carved in their sacred hill. I bet

my mother was upset.”

Cultural ParallelsStorytelling leads Sal to accept her own circumstances as she shares the

story of Phoebe’s mother’s disappearance with Gram and Gramps on their journey retracing the last steps taken in her mother’s moccasins.