More action-oriented and less psychologically penetrating than Echohawk (1996), this historically intriguing but dramatically uneven sequel once again puts the protagonist between a rock and a hard place. Echohawk, captured by Mohicans when he was only four, has the face and body of a European colonist, but the mind and heart of a Mohican warrior. Now 13, Echohawk, his Mohican father, Glickihigan, and small brother, Bamaineo, must travel west through hostile Mohawk terrain in order to relocate near the Ohio River. Making their journey more risky is the substantial ransom the governor of New York is offering for the recapture and return of any white settler “taken captive” by native peoples. After a protracted set-up, the plot finally begins to bubble when Echohawk is ambushed by soldiers and sent to live with his biological aunt. There Durrant demonstrates what she does best, sympathetically balancing the differences between Mohican and colonial attitudes. Although that part of the book gets short shrift, and the rest of the story is dedicated to modest adventure as Echohawk and his family make their ways to safety, this is an enjoyable read enlivened by the author’s facility for establishing a fine sense of time and place. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: April 19, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-90369-6
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A skirmish over a favorite stuffed rabbit nearly destroys a friendship and the toy itself, but well-timed physical and emotional bandaging saves the day. When a little boy moves in next door to a little girl they quickly becomes friends and start sharing toys. This works well for cars, trucks, bears, and balls, but when the boy shows up with a new stuffed rabbit, cooperation goes out the window. In the ensuing tug-of-rabbit, each child yanks on the poor bunny’s ears until the stitching gives way. Figuring out a way to repair the rabbit also eventually patches up the friendship. Minor battles rage in homes and preschools everywhere, so children and adults alike will appreciate this subtle example of a peaceful resolution to toy disputes. Jahn-Clough’s pleasantly stubby children convey both healthy loud-mouthed anger and substantial charm. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-93545-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Ramona returns (Ramona Forever, 1988, etc.), and she’s as feisty as ever, now nine-going-on-ten (or “zeroteen,” as she calls it). Her older sister Beezus is in high school, baby-sitting, getting her ears pierced, and going to her first dance, and now they have a younger baby sister, Roberta. Cleary picks up on all the details of fourth grade, from comparing hand calluses to the distribution of little plastic combs by the school photographer. This year Ramona is trying to improve her spelling, and Cleary is especially deft at limning the emotional nuances as Ramona fails and succeeds, goes from sad to happy, and from hurt to proud. The grand finale is Ramona’s birthday party in the park, complete with a cake frosted in whipped cream. Despite a brief mention of nose piercing, Cleary’s writing still reflects a secure middle-class family and untroubled school life, untouched by the classroom violence or the broken families of the 1990s. While her book doesn’t match what’s in the newspapers, it’s a timeless, serene alternative for children, especially those with less than happy realities. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 25, 1999
ISBN: 0-688-16816-7
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
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