This third installment in Whelan’s Island Trilogy portrays 19th-century daily living and the tension between the Native Americans and white settlers. Picking up where Farewell to the Island left off, Mary is running the family farm without her father, now deceased. Two men in Mary’s life strive for her attention. James, who has pursued her from England, still wishes for her hand, while her childhood friend, White Hawk, shows his affection in a more steadfast way. White Hawk divides his time between helping Mary on the farm and assisting his tribe. There is great tension between the Sauk Indian tribe and the American Fur Co., whose proprietors, though they brought commerce to the island of Michilimackinac, use unsavory means to monopolize trapping. As winter takes hold, White Hawk finds he must return to his people; starvation is imminent and he must help them find an alternative to selling their land to white men. It is Mary who conceives of the plan that brings food to the Indians. James eventually finds his true love elsewhere, and Mary and White Hawk wed. Mary opens the first school for girls while White Hawk continues to assist his people. Mary’s romance with White Hawk comes off lukewarm, and the narrative never has much momentum. Still, for Mary’s fans and those wishing to gain a unique insight into this short but devastating time in Native American history, this is a worthwhile read. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2000
ISBN: 0-06-028253-3
Page Count: 192
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A book of the basic teachings of Buddha, presented through a collection of six classic, simple tales. When a monkey takes refuge from a monsoon in a cave, he happens upon a group of bickering animals—a monkey, lion, turtle, jackal, and dove. Before the fighting becomes too fierce, a small statue of Buddha begins to glow in the darkest corner. To pass the time—and to stop the fighting—wise Buddha spins enlightening stories of tolerance, endurance, sagacity, truthfulness, kindness, and clarity. Buddha recounts his past lives in many forms—from monkey to pigeon to willow tree—to his captive listeners. Such straightforward yet profound tales combine with the art and design for an example of bookmaking that is aesthetically pleasing in every way. Color-washed linoprints cleverly distinguish the stories from the black-and-white narrative frame, while an informative afterword offers brief background detail about Buddha and these six “birth stories” known as Jatakas. (Picture book/folklore. 4-7)
Pub Date: April 8, 1999
ISBN: 0-374-33548-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
By 1776 the British army had taken control of two key areas, New York City and Long Island Sound. For Hannah, nine, and her family, the troops are a real threat to their community, just across the sound in Fairfield, Connecticut. Hannah’s older brother Ben wants to go join the forces under General Washington, but his father will have none of it at first; when British warships are sighted he reluctantly gives the boy his blessing. For two days the female members of the household spin, weave, and sew suitable clothing; Hannah, who has never been good at domestic duties, is afraid she won’t be able to do her part, but masters her chores. Van Leeuwen makes this story—the first in the Pioneer Daughters trilogy—compelling through the picture of daily life during the era: Everyone does everything that needed to be done, whether they wanted to or not. It’s clear that Hannah has plans beyond the household; her saving of a baby lamb, and the influence of her Granny Hannah, who was a midwife and nurse, indicate that someday she will move on, but meanwhile, there is work to be done for the family’s survival. Her story—especially the details that are usually relegated to sidebars and laundry lists in history books—will entertain and inspire anyone who is interested in the past. (b&w illustrations, not seen, map) (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8037-2335-0
Page Count: 87
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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