Book excerpt: Children of the Midnight Sun was chosen as one of Parenting Magazine's 1998 Books of the Year and School Library Journal's Best Books of 1998. For Native children, growing up in Alaska today means dwelling in a place where traditional practices sometimes mix oddly with modern conveniences. Children of the Midnight Sun explores the lives of eight Alaskan Native children, each representing a unique and ancient culture. This extraordinary book also looks at the critical role elders play in teaching the young Native traditions. Photographs and text present the experiences and way of life of Tlingit, Athabascan, Yup'ik, and other Native American children in the villages, cities, and Bush areas of Alaska.