Hey, everyone-- it's me, Molly!

♪ Molly of Denali ♪ Let's go!

♪ She's Molly of Denali ♪ (laughing): Whooo!

♪ By plane or sled or snowshoe ♪ ♪ She is ready to explore ♪ ♪ From Kaktovik down to Juneau ♪ ♪ Always wanting to learn more ♪ Yeah!

♪ Together with her best friend Tooey ♪ ♪ Always by her side ♪ And Trini!

♪ Discovering the outdoors ♪ ♪ On adventures day and night ♪ ♪ Come along with Molly ♪ ♪ Molly ♪ ♪ Through fields of fireweed ♪ ♪ Come along with Molly ♪ ♪ Molly ♪ ♪ From tundra to the sea ♪ Mahsi'choo-- let's go!

♪ Molly of Denali ♪ Yeah!

♪ She's Molly of Denali ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Let's go!

♪ ♪ Molly of Denali ♪ ♪ She's Molly of Denali ♪ MOLLY: "Midnight Sun Fun Run."

(camera chirps) TOOEY: Hello, moose maniacs!

Tick tock, everyone!

It's moose o'clock at the Training Post!

(barks) 'Cause we're training for the Run Fun Sun!

TOOEY: Trini means the Midnight Sun Fun Run.

Right.

I've never been in a race where you get to wear a costume!

That's why they call it a fun run.

TOOEY: And there's also a party when it ends.

At midnight.

(Suki whimpering) TRINI: Is the sun really gonna be up at midnight?

MOLLY: Yup.

The race is on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

TOOEY: Which is only three days away.

So we have to practice.

Bye for now!

(camera chirps) Left foot first!

Now right foot!

Left!

Right!

Left, right.

TOOEY: I can't see where I'm going!

Left, right.

TRINI: Left, right, left, right... (barks) Suki, calm down.

TRINI: Left, right, left, right...

It's just us.

TRINI: Left, right.

(Tooey grunts, Suki whimpering) TOOEY: Whoa!

(Trini yelps, Tooey and Molly grunt) (Tooey groans, Suki whines) Suki!

(laughs) TRINI: Uh, ow!

TOOEY: What's wrong?

My ankle really hurts.

(groans) ♪ ♪ (winces) Well, the good news is, it's not broken-- just a light sprain.

(sighs): That's a relief.

But you'll have to go easy on it for at least a week.

Does that mean I can't do the run?

I'm afraid so, Trini.

Aw, this was gonna be my very first Midnight Run Sun Fun.

We can still watch the run.

That's fun, too.

Hmm, I have a map of the race route around here somewhere.

See?

This line is the path the runners take.

TRINI: What's that water drop mean?

That's where a water station is.

See, the map key over here tells you what the symbol means.

You should always drink water while you're running.

Well, with the sun up all day and night, it does get pretty hot.

I know.

I wish I could offer more than one station.

But it's just me.

Hm.

Well, since I can't run, maybe we can make another water station.

Sure.

That would be great, Trini.

Quyana.

Ooh, I can make some lemonade, too!

And what about a cheering station?

We definitely need one of those, right?

Just you wait!

This is gonna be the funnest fun run ever!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Okay, Tooey, let's try this again.

Left, right.

TRINI: Go, runners, go!

TOOEY (yelps): Whoa!

(Molly and Tooey grunt) You okay?

TOOEY: Whew!

I'm good!

What's so exciting, Trini?

Just practicing my cheer.

And look, I finished planning all the new stations for the run.

What's that yellow thingy?

That's the symbol for the lemonade station.

See?

And these are the pom-poms for the cheering station.

What's this symbol for?

That's for the big surprise at the end!

TOOEY: Ooh!

Can you tell us what it is?

Nope!

You have to cross the finish line to find out.

Well, better keep practicing, then.

♪ ♪ AUNTIE MIDGE: All right, folks, it's 11:00 in the PM, so pull up your racing socks!

Wait, where's Molly and Tooey?

TOOEY: Hello, moose maniacs!

Huh?

Huh?

Aw... (laughs) Um, are you sure you have that on the right way?

Yup.

We couldn't see before because the head was in our way.

AUNTIE MIDGE: All right, runners, to your places!

(gasps): It's starting-- bye, Trini!

See you at the finish line!

On your marks!

(yawns) Get set!

Go!

TRINI: Whoo-hoo!

DANIEL: Go, go!

Yeah!

Yeah!

(laughs): Whoo!

Left, right, left, right!

Yeah!

Dad, if we go this way, we'll get to the cheering station before the runners do.

Then we'd better get moving!

(engine revs) (phone chirps) AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: Welcome to The Butler of... (phone audio fades) ♪ ♪ Ready?

Ready!

Go, go!

Whoo-hoo!

Way to go, Oscar!

You can do it, Kenji!

Go, Nina, go!

Looking good, backwards moose!

(Daniel laughs) Whoo-hoo!

Go, go!

Go, guys!

Yeah!

Okay, on to the next.

Oops, we missed one.

Yay, Auntie Midge!

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: And then Percy declared... AUNTIE MIDGE: What's that?

I said, "Yay, keep it up!"

(music playing on headphones) (music fades) ♪ ♪ Okay, next stop... (ATV approaching) (engine stops) ♪ ♪ Just in time.

(both panting) (sighs) Best lemonade ever!

I'll say.

Oh, yeah?

Just wait until you see the surprise.

Couldn't we get a little hint?

Nope!

Not until the finish line!

Let's get going, then.

♪ ♪ Okay, now it's off to... Not yet.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: Elizabeth flung herself... (audiobook pauses) Chin'an, I needed that.

(music plays on headphones) AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: "Tea at half past?"

Okay, now we can go.

(phone ringing) Hi, Atsaq!

Everything okay at the water station?

Hm, not exactly.

We have a little problem with a tuntuvak, a moose.

(chuckles): Oh, is it running backwards?

That's just Molly and Tooey.

I don't think so.

Look.

(moose snorting) (gasps) We might have to stop the race.

But what about the big surprise?

Well, whatever we do, we have to warn the runners about what's waiting for them.

We're on it!

(ATV approaching) He doesn't look like he's moving anytime soon.

Dad!

I think I found a different route the runners can take.

It'll take a little longer.

The moose is here, but if they go around this way, they'll still get to the water station.

Hm, that could work.

And just in time-- here they come!

(engine revs) (engine idling) Runners, listen up!

We have a moose problem!

(panting): I thought we were running pretty good now!

No, not you two!

Him!

(moose calls) Yikes!

What do we do now?

Don't worry.

Trini's found a different path through the woods!

Follow us!

(engine revs) ♪ ♪ I think that's the last of them.

Wait, has a big fox come by yet?

A big fox?

There she is!

(footsteps approaching) AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: Tragedy visited... (audiobook pauses) AUNTIE MIDGE: Am I glad to see you!

You're almost there.

Just a little bit more to go!

Thanks, Trini!

Couldn't have done this without you.

(audiobook resumes) Come on, Dad, let's go!

I want to be there when everyone sees the surprise!

♪ ♪ (breathlessly): Next time, let's give the moose wheels.

I see it!

I see the finish line!

(gasps): Wait.

Is that... TRINI: Surprise!

Welcome to the Midnight Sun Fun Run water slide.

(gasps) Whoa!

Moose coming through!

Whoo-hoo!

Yeah!

(laughing) Awesome, whoo!

(laughing) ♪ ♪ Great dive, Nina!

Nice form, Layla!

Looking good, Vera!

Fly, Oscar, fly!

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: And once again, the butler saved... (audiobook pauses) Could you hold this, please?

Thank you.

AUNTIE MIDGE: Whoo-hoo!

Ha, ha!

(all cheering) Ooh, good one!

(both laugh) Nice work, Texas.

Thanks, Dad.

Hey, everyone!

Molly here to answer your questions about life in Alaska.

Erin from Alton, Illinois, asks, "Is it true the sun never sets where you live?"

Yes, my friends in Utqiagvik can show you.

♪ ♪ Hi, Molly!

Hi, Molly!

GIRL: Right now, we're in Utqiagvik, which is the homeland of the Iñupiaq people.

We are in the Arctic, way above the Arctic Circle.

GIRL: In wintertime, the sun never rises up.

And in summertime, it never sets.

The Iñupiaq word for sun is siqiniq.

♪ ♪ BOY: Even though it's still sunny out for 24 hours, the sun is still moving around Utqiagvik.

We could tell the sun is moving because the shadows are changing.

GIRL: Today, we're watching the shadows from the whale arch.

These are bones of a bowhead whale.

GIRL: As the sun moves around the sky, the shadows move around the whale bones.

Right now, the shadows are pointing north.

BOY: The reason why we know the shadows are pointing north is because the Arctic Ocean is in the north.

The shadows get shorter when the sun is high in the sky.

We're gonna be coming back at midnight to see where the shadows are.

It's midnight!

The sun is still up!

GIRL: Siqiññaagiksuq.

It's sunny.

♪ ♪ BOY: That's the shadow of the whale arch!

It's pointing south, away from the ocean!

Go, shadow, shadow!

We are tired, we're gonna go back to bed.

ALL: Quyanaqpak, Molly!

MOLLY: Mahsi'choo!

Thanks for asking and see you next time!

MOLLY: Molly Oodi' Heekha.

♪ ♪ MOLLY (laughs): Drin gwiinzii, Shchada'a?

How's fishing?

Great!

The mosquitoes aren't biting, but the salmon are.

(chuckles) There's just one small problem.

I'm stuck in K'eh Village.

Why?

I ran out of oil.

Can't get the boat started without engine oil.

We have some here at the Trading Post.

Want us to bring it to you?

That would be great.

Probably be better than moving here permanently.

(laughs) Maybe Auntie Midge can take us up there.

Ooh, good idea!

Don't worry, Grandpa.

We'll be there as soon as we can.

(knocking) Hey there.

Oh, flowers, mahsi'choo.

And motor oil?

Actually, this is for Grandpa Nat.

We're on a mission.

Hm, sounds exciting.

Come on in.

Kids, I'd take my boat down to K'eh Village in a heartbeat, except this captain's out of commission.

I pulled my shoulder the other day, and I can't steer the boat.

Gwizuu t'sa.

Hey!

Maybe we could steer the boat for you!

Yeah!

We could be your captains!

♪ ♪ (Molly and Tooey cheer) Yeah!

AUNTIE MIDGE: So, you two want to captain my boat, huh?

Yes, please!

Yes, please!

What's oonji?

How about oodi?

Is it a teeny tiny fish?

(laughs) Oonji and oodi are Gwich'in words for navigating the river.

And if you want to captain my boat, you have to know them.

We'll learn!

Yeah!

Please, Auntie Midge?

I know we can do this!

Hm...

Okay!

Yes!

Yeah!

♪ ♪ This is my trusty navigating diagram.

Oonji means upriver.

That's the direction where the current is flowing from.

Oodi is downriver.

That's the direction the current is flowing towards.

Oonji, oodi.

Oonji, oodi.

AUNTIE MIDGE: Then there's the right side of the boat, shreets'aii, and the left side, tl ohts'aii.

Shreets'aii.

Shreets'aii.

Tlohts'aii.

Tlohts'aii.

So, when we're on the river and I call out, "Oonji!

", which direction are you gonna steer the boat in?

MOLLY: Upriver?

Good.

This isn't so hard.

I think we're ready.

How do you start the engine?

Whoa, not so fast, Teekkone.

I want you two to memorize these words.

Then we'll see how you do on a test run tomorrow.

Got it.

Mahsi'choo, Auntie Midge.

We won't let you down.

Come on, let's practice.

I know just the spot.

(imitating engine) Okay, so safety first.

What does Auntie Midge always say?

Wear your life-preserver, keep your hands inside the boat, and no dancing.

(laugh) (whines) Sorry, Suki, we're not taking passengers yet.

Here, play with this.

Oo'ee neiinchii!

(barks) Okay, ready to set sail?

Ready!

(imitates engine) ♪ ♪ Let's see how many of these terms we remember.

Let's go... oodi.

I know, upriver!

MOLLY: Whoa!

(engine revs) (engine slows) Nope, that's oonji.

Oodi is downriver, so we were already headed in the right direction.

Oops, sorry.

MOLLY: Whoa!

(engine revving) Okay, straight ahead, Captain.

Aye, aye, Captain!

♪ ♪ (roaring) Whoa!

Check out that giant fish!

We better give it some room.

Turn tlohts'aii.

Uh, wait, is that right or left?

(roars) Tooey, quick!

Tlohts'aii!

Tlohts'aii!

Uh, uh... (engine revs) MOLLY: No, tlohts'aii is left.

You went right, shreets'aii.

Now we're headed right towards him!

(roars) Ah, abandon ship!

Abandon ship, ah!

(Suki barks) Ah!

(laughs) The giant fish got me!

Or should I say dogfish?

(Suki whines, Molly laughs) Okay, dogfish, that's enough!

Tooey and I have a lot more practicing to do.

(barks) Shreets'aii!

Right.

Oonji.

Upriver.

Drin gwiinzii.

You two ready for a test run?

Uh-huh.

(engine humming softly) All right, let's start off going oonji.

Yup, upriver.

Good job.

How is it looking up there, Tooey?

Anything in our way?

Nope, all clear!

You two make a good team!

Which direction, Auntie Midge?

Shreets'aii.

Shreets'aii, Captain Molly!

AUNTIE MIDGE: Nice!

Now watch out for the kiichyah around here.

Kiichyah?

What's kiichyah?

(gasps) (yelps) (engine revs) AUNTIE MIDGE: Whoa, steady now, steady!

(gasps, grunts) Don't worry, I got it all under... (boat thuds) ...control?

Oh, no, what happened?

Did I break the boat?

(laughs): No.

We just hit a kiichyah.

That's a gravel bar, see?

I guess I forgot to put that on the diagram.

Tooey, grab that oar and push us off.

(Tooey grunts) Whew!

Okay, Molly, take her oodi, slow and steady.

Oodi, downriver-- got it!

(engine revs) Sorry I steered us into that gravel bar.

Well, I completely let go of the tiller.

I think we're sunk.

Well, it wasn't all smooth sailing.

But... You two worked hard, and learned those words.

So, I think we're ready to help your Shchada'a.

Yes!

Whoo-hoo!

Mahsi', Auntie Midge!

Quyana, Auntie Midge!

See you tomorrow when the birds are chirping.

I'll bring the boat, you bring the pilot bread.

♪ ♪ (engine humming) I think I see a kiichyah.

Shreets'aii, Captain, to avoid the sandbar!

Aye, aye, Captain!

(engine revs) Nice teamwork, Captains!

Why don't you two switch places now?

We should be close.

Look for the rock shaped like a raven.

(moans): It's so hard to see in all this fog!

(gasps) There it is, the raven rock!

Slow down, Tooey!

(caws) (Molly gasps) Shchada'a!

Ahoy there!

♪ ♪ (engine stops) We drove all the way, Grandpa!

(moans) Ooh!

(chuckles) And we navigated in Gwich'in!

Gwinzii!

I'm glad you kids are learning.

Here's the motor oil.

Oh, and some moose jerky my mom made.

Just in case you're getting tired of salmon.

I may have had a bite-- or three.

Sorry about that.

(laughs) Quyana!

Okay, kids, I hereby proclaim you official captains of my boat!

Yes!

Whoo-hoo!

♪ ♪ Congratulations, Captain Molly!

Congratulations, Captain Tooey!

Oonji, Captain Molly!

That pesky dogfish is after us again!

Watch out for the kiichyah, Captain Tooey!

(Tooey imitating engine, Molly laughing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪