Set in the deserts of Arabia, before Islam, this wonderful, fantastical fairy tale, translated from Spanish, is at once fresh and familiar. The story begins when Prince Walid ibn Hujr desires to be a famous poet. For three years in a row, however, the same humble carpet weaver, Hammad ibn al-Haddad, wins the palace-sponsored contest, a humiliation that transforms the well-liked, once-noble prince into an embittered, jealous-hearted shadow of his former self. In retaliation, the prince burdens the weaver with an impossible task: to weave a carpet that contains all of human history, past, present and future. To his astonishment, the weaver does so, but the arduous work blinds and ultimately kills the man. When the miraculous carpet is stolen, the prince, now the king, takes to the desert to find it, and spends the rest of his life trying to make amends for his loathsome actions. This beautifully symmetrical tale of the possibility of redemption, of fate vs. free will, of the necessity of heart in art, will enthrall readers young and old. (author’s note) (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-439-58556-2
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2005
BOOK REVIEW
An Anglo-Indian boy finds a measure of peace in the landscape of his deceased mother’s childhood, and begins to understand the source of his compulsion to run. The summer after his mother’s death, Kendall is sent to visit his great-grandfather, Armando, a Native American who lives on top of a mesa, in Acoma, or Sky City; it’s a largely abandoned pueblo built centuries ago, overlooking the valley that lies between it and another mesa known as the Enchanted Mesa. Kendall has always been a runner, driven by some inner spirit; he learns from Armando that he is the last in a long line of Acoma runners, men who ran as part of their belief system, and who were especially revered for their bravery and stamina. The mysterious Enchanted Mesa challenges Kendall to run as he never has before, and that kindles his curiosity about his family’s past and his own destiny. He begins to understand the part of his nature that he inherited from his mother, but also realizes that he will never be accepted as a true Acoman because of the Anglo blood that is his legacy from his father. Little has composed a fine coming-of-age story; she enhances it with a lot of insight into a vanishing way of life and the need to preserve it. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 8, 1999
ISBN: 0-380-97623-4
Page Count: 147
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
Fascinated with the Hispanic and Native American folktales of his youth, Anaya (The Farolitos of Christmas, 1995, etc.) has compiled ten stories from time-honored oral traditions, including some passed on in corridos, or songs. The tales hold lessons on respect for elders, the importance of the Catholic faith, reverence for the animal world, the role of luck in a man’s life, and whether or not we should attempt to seek immortality. The wide variety of stories demonstrate a mature understanding of life’s trappings and dangers, but retain a healthy sense of humor about the human predicament. C¢rdova’s black-and-white illustrations capture the magic and beliefs expressed by the tales. (b&w illustrations, glossary) (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 29, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-15078-0
Page Count: 187
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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