Available:*
Library | Material Type | Item Barcode | Shelf Number | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library | Juvenile Fiction Book Hardback | 120791000202386 | J BAN | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
When Omri puts away the cupboard in The Secret of the Indian, he vows that it will be forever. Little Bear, Boone, and the other miniature figures he had brought to life will remain plastic. But then Omri and his family move to an old country farmhouse that they inherited from a distant relative, and he unearths a faded journal hidden in the thatched roof. To Omri's utter amazement, the notebook was written by his "wicked" great-great-aunt Jessica Charlotte on her deathbed. Even more astonishing: It reveals how the cupboard and its magic were created--and changed the destiny of his family,
In trying to right a wrong done in the past, Omri finds he has no choice but to break the promise he made to himself. The magical cupboard is opened once more!
The Mystery of the Cupboard transports readers from the peaceful English countryside of today to, the elegant drawing rooms and boisterous music halls of pre-World War I London and introduces them to an unforgettable new set of characters--both big and small--and an enthralling series of adventures. Continuing the enchantment of the earlier works in the series, this is Lynne Reid Banks's richest, most memorable "Indian in the Cupboard" book ever.
"In this latest installment in the award-winning Indian in the Cupboard series, Omri's fascination with the little people of the cupboard has matured into an obsession with discovering the origin of their life-giving magic. With the help of his great-aunt's hidden diary and a meeting with an elderly roof-thatcher, Omri is able to piece together his own family's history....These rich, well-rounded characters speak eloquently and entertainingly within a polished mystery."--Publishers Weekly.Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6--Indian in the Cupboard (Doubleday, 1985) fans, rejoice! Here's another in the series, and it will appeal most to those familiar with the characters and events in the earlier books. When a distant relative dies, leaving Omri's mother an old farmhouse, the whole family moves to the country. As old thatch is removed in preparation for reroofing, Omri finds a notebook written by ``wicked'' great-great-Aunt Jessica as she lay dying, which reveals the secret of the cupboard, and how and why it, and its magic, came into being. New little people are introduced, and once again, Omri learns the folly--and danger--of playing with people's lives. Little Bear and Bright Stars, main characters from the previous books, make their appearance only on the last page, when the boy's father is let in on the secret. ``From now on, thought Omri, whatever happens--and plenty will--Dad's in on it. Which is bound to make things . . . very, very complicated.'' One has to wonder if he will allow the adventures to continue. --Li Stark, North Castle Public Library, Armonk, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this latest installment in the award-winning Indian in the Cupboard series, Omri's fascination with the little people of the cupboard has matured into an obsession with discovering the origin of their life-giving magic. With the help of his great-aunt's hidden diary and a meeting with an elderly roof-thatcher, Omri is able to piece together his own family's history--one that gave rise to the wondrous events of the last few years. In the process he takes a big risk in allowing the secret to be disclosed to an adult. Relying much less on the sheer derring-do typical of earlier episodes, Banks takes an introspective turn here, weaving a more adult story of disappointment and heartbreak into Omri's ever-widening understanding of the cupboard's mystery. Banks's series has grown up, and though some readers may miss the magical Peter Pan-like world of earlier installments, these rich, well-rounded characters speak eloquently and entertainingly within a polished mystery structure. While observing the parameters of a series, Banks demonstrates an impressive versatility, never swerving from her trademark disarming candor and unaffected yet elegant style. Illustrations not seen by PW . Ages 10-up. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
This companion to the Indian in the Cupboard books is sure to please fans of the series. When Omri's family moves to an old country house inherited from a distant relative, Omri unravels the mystery of the origin of the magic cupboard that turns plastic figures into real, miniature people. The magic is quiet, but the pace is involving, and the character of Omri's 'wicked' great-great-aunt, as revealed in her journal, is intriguing. From HORN BOOK 1993, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
When Omri's family moves to the country house his mother has inherited, he learns the earlier history of the magical cupboard first featured in The Indian in the Cupboard (1980). The house belonged to distant cousin Frederick; in its thatched roof, Omri discovers a manuscript dictated by Frederick's mother, Jessica Charlotte, on her deathbed. A tragedy is revealed: jealous of her sister Maria (Omri's great-great-grandmother), Jessica Charlotte- -music-hall singer, unwed mother, and family outcast--stole a pair of her earrings, unwittingly setting off events that left Maria widowed and impoverished. The cupboard was Jessica Charlotte's; now, when Omri finds her toy figures, he uses it to bring them to life, hoping to avert the tragedy by sending them back to her time--belatedly realizing that this may cancel his own existence. Though the story begins slowly, Banks plots expertly, introducing new figures, bringing in old ones for cameo appearances, and even furthering Omri's nice relationship with his dad. There's not much chance to stereotype Native Americans here, as Banks was charged with earlier, but Jessica Charlotte is certainly a caricature of a music-hall singer; one wonders whether it's reasonable, or merely foolish, to deplore such shorthand in popular fiction. Not the best ``Cupboard'' book, but fans won't want to miss it; with a first printing of 75,000, they won't have to. (Fiction. 10-13) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 5-8. Picking up at the end of The Secret of the Indian , Banks offers a fourth book in the "cupboard" series. After inheriting a house from distant relatives, Omri's family decides to move to the country. During the rethatching of the family's new residence, Omri discovers a journal and a box that once belonged to his great-great-aunt Jessica Charlotte. The diary divulges information about the beginnings of the magic cupboard (which originally belonged to Jessica Charlotte); the box contains several plastic figures, who, when brought to life, fill in the gaps to explain the cupboard's secrets. Although the story is more about Jessica Charlotte than about Omri, readers won't be disappointed, because they'll be swept up in the details of the life of this boisterous and often scandalous music hall girl of pre-World War I London. Omri remains ever cautious of the dangers of "playing" with the cupboard, yet, when his father, at the end, accidentally brings all the plastic characters to life, Omri is secretly pleased and excited. And, since Omri's father has not yet developed his son's sensible restraint, Banks leaves open the possibility of further adventures. Librarians need to be aware of the controversy over the stereotypical characterization of the plastic Indians when they are brought to life. (Reviewed Apr. 1, 1993)0688121381Kay Weisman