The Indian in the Cupboard
by Lynne Reid Banks
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Book Summary Information
Author: Lynne Reid BanksIllustrator: Brock Cole
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1982-09-01
ISBN: 0380600129
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: HarperCollins
Book Reviews of The Indian in the Cupboard
Book Review: A fun and imaginative book to enjoy.
Summary: 5 Stars
This review is written by my 12 year old son Sean.
When Omri, a young boy, puts a toy Indian in a cupboard he receives as a present and turns a special key a toy plastic Indian magically comes to life. However the Indian is not just a toy come to life, but a real person who lived a long time ago and has been transported into the present. Problems occur when Omri's friend Patrick puts his toy cowboy, Boone, into the cupboard to see if they will fight and of course they do.
This book was an interesting story to read because it kept the reader absorbed in what adventure would happen next. The setting in this book is Omri's house but to the Indian it is a mysterious and magical place to explore. Although the idea of bringing toys to life sounds like fun it turns out to require a great deal of responsibility, energy and patience. The main characters Omri and Little Bear are well developed. The reader can truly relate to the disbelief and excitement that Little Bear experiences as he is brought to life and the difficulty and challenge's that Omri experiences with his new friends. The reader can also feel how Omri struggles with having so much responsibility for taking care of Little Bear and Boone. Providing them with their basic needs of food, shelter and water is not easy. Omri struggles with this too because he is just a kid and wants to have fun but he also does not want anything to happen to his new friends. In the end Omri realizes it is not his right to have such power over Little Bear and Boone and that he must use this power wisely, not foolishly. This is a lesson he learns especially when Boone is injured.
I believe Omri does the right thing when he sends Little Bear and Boone back to live in their own time. He understands that it is not his right to control their lives but they must live their own. I felt that this book also kept my attention because the story itself was not so farfetched that you couldn't believe that something like this could actually happen. I found myself imagining what would happen if I could have brought some of my favorite toys to life. This book also teaches the reader that there are consequences for their actions and one must learn to think before they act on something.
If you like stories that involve adventure, imagination and excitement this book is for you. I would recommend this book to children age 8 to 14 and even adults who enjoy a good story and have an active imagination!
Summary of The Indian in the Cupboard
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.
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.)
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