Jamake Highwater (1931–2001)

A sad & compelling story told by a "young" (we're never quite sure of his age, nor is he) boy who has been left at an orphanage by his mother. He never fits in. He remembers the stories his grandmother would tell him, and they create a world for his imagination. Eventually his older brother arrives at the orphanage also, and is his protector for a while. They both have issues about the father who abandoned his family. They are later taken under care by their mother's lover, but it turns out show more to be an abusive care.
I haven't read the first 2 books of the series, but felt this was a strong enough book that I do want to find the other 2 to read. This book stands on its own very well, with none of the need to catch up on the background that some series require. From the summaries, it appears the first 2 books deal with his grandmother's and his mother's lives--factors that would help us understand their actions in this book but not necessary to empathize with the main character, Sitko.
This is marketed as a juvenile book. I did read it aloud to my youngest son, who also lives in his imagination and has a protective older brother, though I did bowdlerize it somewhat for the "hells" and "damns" that showed up as the boy entered his teens & his stepfather cursed at him. I think it is also entirely appropriate for an adult audience. show less

Highwater collected stories of Anpao from many different Native American tribes and edited them into a flowing narrative. It's a fun and fascinating read, with all of the qualities of a good myth story. Recommended.

The lengthy Hindu epic of the Ramayana doesn't necessarily lend itself to being condensed into a short novel told in the language of traditional Western fairy tales - but this is what Highwater attempts in this volume.
Overall, the result isn't bad. I would say this book wouldn't be essential for those who are already very familiar with Indian and Balinese mythology, but for those who aren't that familiar with it (like me!) this is a quick and enjoyable read, serving as a basic introduction show more to the story. show less

This book is about a brave young man named Anpao, which means the dawn,who wants to win the love of a woman. Her name is Ko-Ko-mik-e-is and she is the prettiest girl in the whole village. Every man wants her as his wife, but she told them all no.Anpao fell in love with her and asked to marry her and she said yes. Only problem was she belonged to the Sun god and he would have to find where the Sun lived and ask his permission before she would marry him. So he goes on a long journey and hopes show more to return and take her as his wife.

I absolutely loved this book! Not only was it a great story but you learn a lot about the Indian culture as well.

In the classroom I would use this as a book that we all read together as a class. It has a great story to it and lots of truth behind the Indian culture. show less