School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-6Like their neighbors, three brothers living on a lonely Northwest shore keep to themselves. The elder two are hunters; their isolation has made them coldhearted. Ermine, the youngest, paints beautiful designs on the wooden boxes and bowls he makes. When his brothers are late returning from the hunt, he goes into the forest after them. A low, steady throb leads him to a giant eagle-man, who explains that his brothers were changed into icy rivers. The eagle-man's mother gives Ermine a mission: bring people together to celebrate life through song. The boy crafts a drum, and his singing makes others aware of the beauty around them and the joy of sharing. His siblings are restored, and the eagle-mother's youth and strength are renewed. The people now live in community, celebrating their blessings with shared feasts, and with intricately painted homes, canoes, and totem poles. While the hero is male, his long hair, costume, and childish features make him genderless. Rodanas's faithful realism represents the humans without idealization and emphasizes the splendor of the Pacific scenery and the eagle's beauty and power. She uses Northwest Coast stylistic motifs in the appropriate places, and reproduces the culture's distinctive clothing, canoes, architecture, and objects. The art does not call attention to itself, but is in balance with the narrative. The tale offers a universal message, while the pictures are richly informative about the specific culture.Patricia (Dooley) Lothrop Green, St. George's School, Newport, RI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.