DragonSong ~ Anne McCaffrey

this is the third book in the Pern series. It takes place during Dragon Quest, just from a different perspective. Menolly is a girl who was raised in a conservative sea hold, who wants nothing more than to make music. Unfortunately, the rest of her hold believes that harpering is for men, not women, and are afraid she will disgrace the hold. Then Menolly is injured, and it appears she will never be able to play an instrument again. not all that long after her injury heals, Menolly leaves the hold, and the hold is reluctant to raise a search for a girl who may or may not have survived Thread fall, and is a disgrace anyway. Menolly learns to live on her own, evading thread, and thriving, until she is found by a dragon man, and taken to Bendon Wyer.