Fourteen-year-old Bright Morning is a member of the Navajo tribe of Native Americans, and she lives in a village populated by members of her tribe. Her name is not revealed until late in Sing Down the Moon, and even then, she states that Bright Morning is not her true name. The village is in Canyon de Chelly, near the confluence of four states: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. As the novel begins, Bright Morning is in a good mood because there are signs of spring’s return. The season, she hopes, will offer the chance to lead her mother’s sheep as they graze.

Although her mood is high, Bright Morning also feels sad as she remembers her brother. She believes the lightning strike that killed him was punishment for his pride after a successful deer hunt. Memories of her former shepherding experience also dampen her mood. A year ago, Bright Morning’s mother allowed her to take the sheep out; when a storm approached, she became scared, ran home, and abandoned the sheep. Her mother returned to the sheep with Bright Morning, and together they stayed with the sheep overnight during a snowstorm.