The Indian in the Cupboard

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What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri's big brother has no birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he's found. Although their mother supplies a key, the cabinet still doesn't seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins. Turn the key once and the toy comes alive; turn it a second time and it's an action figure again.

The Indian in the Cupboard is one of those rare books that is equally appealing to children and adults. The story of Omri and the Indian, Little Bear, is replete with subtle reminders of the responsibilities that accompany friendship and love. For kids, it's a great yarn; for most parents, it's also a reminder that Omri's wrenching decision to send his toy back to its own world is not so different from the recognition of their children's emerging independence.

The Indian in the Cupboard is also available in Spanish (La Llave Magica.) (The publisher recommends this book for children ages 9-12, although younger kids will enjoy hearing it read aloud.)

Book Description

It all starts with a birthday present Omri doesn't even want -- a small plastic Indian of no use to him at all. But when an old wooden cupboard and a special key bring the unusual toy to life, Omri's Indian becomes his most important secret: precious, dangerous, wonderful, and above all, magical.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting story .......2007-08-07

It's Omri's birthday and his brother and his friend have gotten him gifts that don't seem like the best gifts in the world. His brother gave him a cupboard that he found in an alley. And his friend, Patrick, gave him a plastic Indian figure. There's nothing too magical about these items and Omri is less than interested in them until he finds a key among his mother's extra keys that fits the cupboard.

He finds that when he puts a plastic figure in the cupboard and then locks the cupboard with that particular key, the figure comes to life! With a little experimenting, he finds that if he then locks the live figure back in, it returns to its original form.

Now Omri has a live Indian (a very small live Indian) living in his room. Sounds pretty neat, huh? Well, Omri soon finds out that it's not so easy to be responsible for another human being no matter how small they are.

The Indian's name is Little Bear and he makes demands on Omri such as asking for supplies to make a longhouse, paint for decorations and - most importantly - food. Omri has to go to great lengths to help Little Bear while at the same time keeping the Indian a secret from his family and friends. When he finally does tell his friend, Patrick, Omri regrets it.

Patrick wants to play with the cupboard but he doesn't care that the figures are occupied by real human beings with real feelings. This gets both he and Omri in trouble.

This book is an interesting look at what happens when something that seems like it would be the coolest thing can turn out to not be so fun once reality hits. It is also interesting to see the empathy that Omri has for these small beings and how he tries to care for them and show Patrick how to care for them too. It also explores the dynamics of their friendship and touches lightly on the familial interactions between son and parents and brother to brother.

While this is a book about boys, the story is not for boys alone. Girls will enjoy this story about a 'magical' experience. Boys will definitely love this and may even try locking up their action figures in every cupboard in the house to see what happens. It's a quick and interesting read for those who are easily distracted.

I am concerned about the descriptions of all the historical characters especially the Native American (as one reviewer has been specific about the 'racist' nature of it.) So I would not recommend this for someone looking for an accurate description of Native Americans, cowboys or WWI medics but perhaps it could be used to start a discussion about stereotypes. Also I would not recommend this to someone looking for a fantasy novel.

a new dimension.......2007-07-23

It was interesting and exciting because the plot was unexpected. I liked the stories told by the characters from the cupboard and that they had past lives. Their daily lives were interesting such as the food they ate and the risks they faced. It's a good book to read for kids.

The Indian in the Cupboard.......2007-04-12

I discovered the story about the Indian in the Cupboard when I saw the film based on the book. I think the book is quite good, but I would like to have more illustrations, because I'm teacher of English for Spanish students and if you want to use the story for early ages (6-8) you'll need more illustrations. But in general I liked this book very much.

Cornwall, NY Sixth Grader.......2007-03-07

I am a sixth grader who experienced a magical journey after reading the famous book, The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks and illustration by Brock Cole.
The book takes you on a magical journey when Omri, who is celebrating his birthday,receives a plain old cupboard from his family and a plastic indian from his friend, Patrick.
Omri loved cupboards and would find things to put in them. The cupboard however would not lock and his mother gives him a box with keys with all shapes and sizes. He tries them all until he finds the key that open the cupboard.While alone, he wonders what treasure to put in the cupboard.
When Omri puts his plastic indian in the cupboard, he never imagined the magic that would come to life. His indian become the most important secret that he now must keep. Omri is so excited however that he shares his secret with his best friend, Patrick, who then makes things worst because he wants to use the "magical cupboard."
This book really lets you feel the magic of the characters coming to life.
The Indian in the Cupboard was made into a famous and classical movie in 1995. It is one of my favorite movies. Try reading The Return of the Indian, The Secret of the Indian, The Mystery of the Cupboard and The Key to the Indian.

the indian in the cupboard.......2007-01-01

This was one of the best books i have read in my life, it was humourus, sad, and makes you think. I liked the book alot, i only read the first one and i wouldn't mind reading the second!
We read the book in class and we all laughed, and cried. I thought the book was a message, saying be careful of what you think and do.

I will recommend this to my teacher, as a lesson in english, to come and post a review! :)

Average customer rating:

Portago katsina book
Kachinas
wonderful images, valuable essay
A most informative and delightful book
Like Salt on Melon

Classic Hopi And Zuni Kachina Figures
Barton Wright
Manufacturer: Museum of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0890134839

Book Description

Presented here are one hundred classic-era (1880s-1940s) Hopi and Zuni carved dolls from private and public collections that have rarely, if ever, been put on exhibition and that collectively form a profound and powerful assembly of the very finest examples from the classic period in Kachina carving. Portago has greacefully photographed these rare figures using avaialbe light so as not to distort their colors and to reveal their movement and drama, passion and personality. Wright's essay masterfully elucidates Pueblo culture and cosmology and the systems and perceptions by which Pueblo People interact with their perceived universe.

Customer Reviews:

Portago katsina book .......2007-01-18

This book has one strength. The photos are excellent - at least in terms of the antique katsinam themselves. Ms. Portago's decision to photograph the carvings on metal backgrounds is odd to say the least. The essay in the back by Barton Wright is insightful but is not linked to the text. It was written many years ago.

I find one minor detail in this book to be quite annoying. Ms. Portago's bio on the jacket is twice as long as Barton Wright's. Mr. Wright is the most extensively published author on Hopi culture ever. Ms. Portago is a former model, a contessa, and a sometime photographer. That feels incongruous to me.

Kachinas.......2006-11-06

This is a wonderful -- and wonderfully photographed -- book and a valued addition to my collection of books on kachinas.

wonderful images, valuable essay.......2006-08-10

The essence of any Pueblo Kachina (Katsina) is determined in no small way by its mask (as well as by the ritual drama in which it appears). And while there are many kachina books in print, this volume by Portago and Wright emphasizes the doll's mask more than most other volumes. The Wright essay is one of his best and not easy for the layperson to find, so its printing here is especially useful. What Portago's kachina-doll photos bring to the fore is the aspect of an artist at home on either side of the camera--as a model and as the photographer. Finally, this group of kachina dolls is wonderful!

A most informative and delightful book.......2006-08-08

As one unfamiliar with Kachina figures and their history, I was fascinated with Andrea Portago's book. I was taken with the professionalism of the book - the wonderful photography and the knowledgeable presentation of the subject. It was a most rewarding reading, taking me on a delightful journey into the Hopi and Zuni cultures.

Like Salt on Melon.......2006-08-01

I too have waited for a long time for Ms Portago's book of photographs of Kachina figurines but, quite contrary to the last reviewer, I could'nt have been more delighted with the finished product. It is absolutely delightful. One must have a dead 'scholar's eye' not to be able to see the love and humor with which she has invested these little painted fabrications of wood, clay, cloth and feathers. They laugh at us with glee or, like Goyescas, shriek with horror from out of the pages of her book. Through her gorgeous colored photography she has breathed life and personality into her beloved subjects just as did that fine lineage of photographers from which she is derived. And as for her instinct to intersperse the glory of her colored images with severe black and white photos, in the manner of Anselm Adams, of the epic Southwest landscape from which these effigies derive, like putting salt on melon this was sheer genius.
The book is a treasure, for which I thank you, Andrea. On receiving my copy I ran right out and bought copies for all my friends. I urge you to do the same.

Southwest Indian Girl and Boy Paper Dolls (Boys & Girls from Around the Globe)

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Southwest Indian Girl and Boy Paper Dolls (Boys & Girls from Around the Globe)
Yuko Green
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486427714

Book Description

Youngsters will have a great time dressing these two little Native Americans in traditional ceremonial costumes of the Kiowa-Apache, Navajo, Hopi, Pima, Yuma, and other tribes. Wardrobes include brilliantly ornamented shawls, tunics, and dresses, as well as costumes for a warrior and chieftain, dancers, hunters, and other figures. Captions. 2 dolls, 32 costumes.

Small Spirits: Native American Dolls from the National Museum of the American Indian

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Big book on small spirits
Small Spirits

Small Spirits: Native American Dolls from the National Museum of the American Indian
Mary Jane Lenz , and Clara Sue Kidwell
Manufacturer: National Museum of American Indian
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0295983639

Book Description

A dazzling variety of Native American dolls--from prehistoric ceramic figures to striking contemporary creations by Inuit and Pueblo artists--fills the pages of Small Spirits. These miniature forms have played rich and diverse roles in indigenous cultures from antiquity to the present, serving as toys and learning tools for children, sacred and magical figurines, props and performers in drama and dance, and, in recent years, items manufactured for sale. Some dolls today are created as artworks and coveted by collectors.

Stunning full-color images portray the beauty and craftsmanship of the dolls, from the simplest toy made of sticks and cloth scraps to the exquisitely dressed replica of a woman in her finest regalia. Each offers a glimpse into a particular cultural world--Navajo, Cree, or Tapirape--and into the mind of an individual maker. The great variety of form and materials--such as walrus tusk ivory, cornhusks, and beeswax embellished with the brilliantly colored feathers of tropical birds--reflects the vibrancy and range of Native American lifeways.

Mary Jane Lenz's insightful, authoritative text offers a lively discussion of the intriguing roles that dolls have played in Native American cultures and explores their significance today, while carefully chosen historical photographs bring to life the people who made and used these remarkable creations.

Customer Reviews:

Big book on small spirits.......2006-02-27

This expanded version of a previous publication on Indian dolls from the Heye Foundation collections has beautiful illustrations, and excellent text content. My only wish is that more photographs of the extensive collections at what is now NMAI would have been included, particularly from the Plains areas. I would have opted for a few fewer large format photos in exchange for more smaller ones.

Small Spirits.......2005-10-04

Great book for helping to identify lots of Native American dolls from Tierra del Fuego to Pt. Barrow.

Average customer rating:

very evocative stories and pictures

Dolls & Toys of Native America
Don McQuiston , and Debra McQuiston
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Small Spirits: Native American Dolls from the National Museum of the American Indian

ASIN: 0811805700

Customer Reviews:

very evocative stories and pictures.......2002-03-21

I loved this book, and use it as a resource for my own dollmaking. There are elegant, clean photos of toys and dolls from different traditions and geographical areas of North America, and there are stories to go along with each chapter. The stories moved me as strongly as the images. I recommend it as an avenue for understanding the cultures that preceeded ours on this continent, and to dispell some of the myths we all carry about Native Americans.

Average customer rating:

Dolls & Toys of Native America
Don and Debra McQuiston
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NUMHXU

Dolls & Toys of Native America: A Journey Through Childhood

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Dolls & Toys of Native America: A Journey Through Childhood
Don; McQuiston, Debra McQuiston
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books Llc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J4W3TS

Not Just a Pretty Face: Dolls and Human Figurines in Alaska Native Cultures

Average customer rating:

A striking showcase of dolls and dollmaking

Not Just a Pretty Face: Dolls and Human Figurines in Alaska Native Cultures

Manufacturer: Museum of Primitive Art & Culture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0931163188

Book Description

Now in a full-color second edition, Not Just a Pretty Face is an engaging exploration of the role of dolls and doll making in Alaska Native cultures. From ancient ivory carvings to the thriving tourist market, dolls and human figurines have played integral parts in the ritual, economic, and social lives of Native Alaskans. Dolls served as children’s playthings, represented absent community members at ceremonies, and predicted the movements of game animals for shamans. Not Just a Pretty Face surveys these and other uses of dolls and figurines, illustrating in beautiful color photographs the diversity of the doll-making tradition in Eskimo, Athabaskan, and Northwest Coast Native communities.
Authors explore the ethnographic literature, twentieth-century oral histories, and photographic documentation of dolls and the doll-making process. Contemporary doll makers explain, in their own words, how they learned to make dolls and what doll making means to them. The second edition features a photo essay on Rosalie Paniyak of Chevak, one of the most influential doll makers in Alaska today.
Not Just a Pretty Face provides a panoramic view of an ancient tradition and situates the art of doll making within a contemporary context. Scholarly, yet accessible, Not Just a Pretty Face is a lively contribution to the literature on dolls, anthropology, and Native studies.

Customer Reviews:

A striking showcase of dolls and dollmaking.......2006-07-08

Now in an updated second edition, Not Just A Pretty Face: Dolls And Human Figurines In Alaska Native Cultures is a striking showcase of dolls and dollmaking, exploring their role in the lives of native Alaskans from ancient ivory carvings to the modern tourist market. Filled with color photographs, Not Just A Pretty Face is both an artistic and anthropological showcase. The text surveys the history of dolls and dollmaking, and includes interviews with dollmakers as well as speculations upon the future of native arts. A lay reader-friendly showcase for anthropology shelves, Native American studies shelves, and doll collector shelves alike.

The Hopi Approach to the Art of Kachina Doll Carving

Average customer rating:

Basic introduction to Hopi kachina dolls
Interesting, first class reference book.
Interesting, first class reference book.

The Hopi Approach to the Art of Kachina Doll Carving
Erik Bromberg
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0887400620

Book Description

The beautiful diversity of Hopi Kachina dolls is pictorially presented to show past, present, and evolving styles. These carved representations of ceremonial figures taking part in celebration of the Kachina religion are highly collected by Indian and white peoples alike. This book serves to explain, compare, and present the variety of dolls that are found through color pictures, line drawings and a concise text. The carvers are given a great deal of recognition throughout the book as the discussion covers the environment, tools, and prominence of these artists. An appendix lists 495 living artists. An introduction is by Frederick Dockstader, former director to the Museum of the American Indian in New York. Mr. Bromberg, a trader among the Hopi, shares his accumulated respect for the culture and people who produce them. His chapters evolved to answer questions by collectors and gallery workers. The result is a first-hand analysis of this contemporary and still changing art form that has both religious and commercial impact on the Hopi carvers. Only a trusted, sympathetic student of the Hopi culture could have compiled the background interpretations of the dolls and won the respect of the carvers.

Customer Reviews:

Basic introduction to Hopi kachina dolls.......1999-05-30

Author Erik Bromberg provides the reader with a good, basic introduction to the art of kachina doll carving. The photography of Michael Mouchette is simple in style and foremat ... place the doll in front of a gray or brown background and shoot. Price is what makes this book most appealing. It's publication date of 1986, however, leaves the reader without a TRUE picture of the advances made in this art form over the past decade. Pick up a copy of this book; it's worth the initial investment. Then take an additional step ... compare it to a book from the mid 90's ... you'll SEE the difference!

Interesting, first class reference book........1999-03-17

This book is one of the best I've seen on the subject of kachina dolls and their carvers. A great reference as well as a strong introduction to the art. Describes the differences between Hopi and Navajo styles, with high quality photos. Along with my Barton Wright, this book is invaluable as a collecting reference book. The appendix includes a big list of Hopi carvers' names and a page of translated symbols.

Interesting, first class reference book........1999-03-17

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Dolls & Toys of Native America
McQuiston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JUOB4C

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