Crossing the Starlight Bridge

``Springbrook, where Gran lived, is like another country'' to Rayanne Sunipass, who has grown up on the reservation on Two Rivers Island, Me. But when her father leaves her and her mother, they are obliged to move from the island to this ``other country,'' the mainland. Ray attends a new school, where other students tease her (`` `My dad said you Indians are lazy' ''), and she misses her home, ``the smell of stones'' and ``the rushing noise of moving water.'' Through her affection for her pet rabbit, Hop, and her artwork--she loves the big box of crayons her father gave her before he left, the colors of which inspire chapter titles--Ray finds a vision of beauty in the present and hope for a return to the island. The Penobscot legends told to Ray by Gran, which help her remember her Native American origins, add authenticity and interest to this mild story. First-novelist Mead is so earnest about her protagonist's feelings, however, that at times the story seems an overly fragile portrayal of characters who clearly demonstrate strength and resiliency in the midst of adversity. Ages 9-11. (Apr.)