NO HELP AT ALL

by Betty Bakar ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 20, 1978

One of four ""chacs"" who ""live in the sky over the land of the Maya,"" overworked West Chac rescues a boy from a ""man-eating thing"" and makes the boy promise in return to help him in the sky. But the boy never follows directions and he ends up more trouble than help. (Once, he gets himself broken into nine pieces--as pictured, he looks like a dismantled doll--and the chac must sing nine times until the parts go back together.) At last the boy is sent home, but not until he has let out of the bag a strong wind which clears a cornfield--and the gifts that future corn farmers give the chac cause him to conclude that ""that boy was some help after all."" This is based on Mayan legend, but gives no direct background information on either the people or on chacs. It's a mild and almost mechanically related story, helped along by the little boy's mischief as well as by some engaging examples of folk beliefs and magical thinking.

Pub Date: March 20, 1978

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Greenwillow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1978

Categories: CHILDREN'S