Book Review: The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdrich
This is the story of Omakayas, a young Ojibwe girl in 1852. She’s 12, and she and her family are traveling to meet her aunt and camp for the winter.
There are two other books in this series, The Birchbark House and The Game of Silence, but this book stands just fine on its own.
It teaches you how hard it was to survive as an Indian by using the resources from the land – especially when people stole your goods! You follow her adventures, share her sorrows, and rejoice when they finally reach their family on the water. But the problems aren’t over yet. The families need to adjust to each other, and Omakayas must say goodbye to Tallow, who died during their winter of extreme need.
There is a porcupine “pet” who rides on her brother’s head, her father is blinded by black powder but regains his sight, Tallow dies in a fight with a bear, but provides food for her family, and Omakayas begins her journey of womanhood…
A great read for young adult or older. I enjoyed it!
This is an uncorrected proof, and I’d be happy to mail it to someone for free. Visit my website and email me telling me why you’d like to read it, put Porcupine Year in the email so I know what it’s about. I’ll pick one of the entries and donate the book to them.
For those who don’t get the free copy, this book will be on the market on 9-2-2008.
Happy reading!
Jo Ann Hakola, The Book Faerie, www.bookfaerie.com © 2008 butyoudontlooksick.com
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Editorial note: JoANN has been a constant supporter of our site. She chooses to support our site through the ad program. She has vast knowledge on all the books she mentions, and I find her to be a wonderful person, but also an assett to our site. If you have not dealt with her, or her store....check it out!
