SOLVED. YA/Childrens might be a series, girl goes to space and gets in an avalanche. [s]

[Amy N.]

I read this book sometime between 1998 and 2003. It was in my middle school library and it might have been part of a series, so the things I remember might be from other books in the same series. I remember next to nothing so sorry if it's vague.

A girl goes into space either with her father or after him, and meet some aboriginal aliens and maybe learns their language? There might be a village in some giant trees and the girls learns a few words like for 'apple' and 'basket' or something like that from a friendly alien girl. I think the alien girl looks mostly human. It's possible she is human and just living on another planet.

The only thing I remember clearly is a scene in which the girl is in an avalanche and she is buried. She can't tell which way is up or down, so I think she spits or something to feel which way the saliva flows, and figures out which way she should dig. There might be something about her father having warned her about avalanches or told her what to do if she was in them. I'm pretty sure the avalanche was on another planet, but it could have been on earth. She might have also thrown her arm over her mouth and nose to make a tiny pocket of air so she can breath under the snow.

The series might have been about her different adventures on different planets. I hate being so vague, and it's entirely possible I'm mixing up two or three entirely different books.

[Ayshe]

Heartlight maybe?

[Amy N.]

Ayshe wrote: "Heartlight maybe?"

Yeah, I'm positive that's it. Thanks so much!