The book Lakota Moon by Karen Dee Musson is a historical novel set during the bloody conflicts between the U.S. Army (“Blue Coats”) and the Lakota Sioux on the Great Plains. It follows the harrowing and emotional journey of Prairie Dawn, a white woman who has embraced the Lakota way of life, her husband White Horse (a Lakota chief), and their family and community as they endure an unprovoked and devastating attack on their village. In the aftermath of the massacre, which claims the lives of many women, children, and warriors—including Prairie Dawn’s closest friend, Running Water—the survivors flee into hiding and struggle to preserve their culture, dignity, and unity amid overwhelming grief and hardship. Central to the story are themes of love, loss, resilience, and identity as Prairie Dawn supports her family and people while navigating her dual heritage, even defying danger to honor promises made to the dying. The narrative explores the cost of war, the clash of cultures, and the unbreakable bonds of community and spirit among the Lakota as they rebuild and resist further encroachment on their sacred lands.