The Secret of the Indian [Hardcover]

Lynne Reid Banks (Author), Ted Lewin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

After a terrible battle, many of Little Bull's warriors are wounded. Omri must get them medical help, but he must also protect the secret of the Indian. For who would believe that a plastic toy red Indian and a plastic toy cowboy, Little Bull's blood brother, Boone - can come to life?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this sequel to The Indian in the Cupboard and The Return of the Indian , Omri and Patrick foil a burglary and are forced to share their secret of time travel; in PW 's words, "This fantasy-adventure is gracefully enhanced by a powerful concern for the care of all human beings." Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- It takes a cyclone to bring things to an acceptable conclusion for Omri, his friend Patrick, and the plastic figures turned into people from the past who inhabit Omri's room with the help of magic key and a special cupboard. Readers of The Indian in the Cupboard (1985) and Return of the Indian (1986, both Doubleday) will want to know what happens, especially to Little Bear; his wife, Bright Stars; Boone, the softhearted cowboy who still likes his "likker"; and the indefatigable nurse, Matron. The action picks up where The Return of the Indian ended. A tiny army has frightened away the "skinheads" who tried to rob Omri's house. The boys are left to explain to Omri's parents the tiny bullet holes and other damage. Complications multiply when Patrick is sent back to Boone's time, Omri's school principal tumbles into the secret, and Boone and his girlfriend are stuck in the present. For all the action, the pacing of this book is slowed down because of the several shifts in point of view and time. For example, as the tension builds over what to do about Little Bear's wounded comrades, the story switches to Patrick, who is coping with life in Boone's wild west. The cyclone from Boone's time is a too convenient deus ex machina that drives all thoughts of "little people" from the adults' minds and causes enough confusion and damage to let the boys cover their tracks and protect their friends from the past. Although not as tightly plotted as the earlier books, fans will want to read the conclusion of this popular, well-written series. --Amy Kellman, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 171 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (November 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812491602
• ISBN-13: 978-0812491609
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,400,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lynne Reid Banks is a best-selling author for children and adults. Her classic children's novel 'The Indian in the Cupboard' has sold nearly six million copies worldwide. She was born in London in 1929 and worked as an actress, writer and TV news reporter. Lynne has written thirty books: her first, 'The L-Shaped Room', was published in 1960. She now lives in Dorset, where she continues to write. Lynne says that writing for children comes much more easily than writing for adults. Tony Ross was born in London in 1938. He has worked as an art director at an advertising agency, a graphic designer, a cartoonist, a teacher, a film maker and as a Senior Lecturer in Art at Manchester Polytechnic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book with full of adventure!!!!!, November 16, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Secret Of The Indian (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Indian in the Cupboard) (School & Library Binding)

The book I read is called �gThe Secret of the Indian.�h It is the 3rd series of the Indian story. The first book is called�h The Indian in the Cupboard�h and 2nd one is called �gThe Return of the Indian,�h and it is written by Lynne Reid Banks. I liked the 1st one and 2nd series also, but I liked the 3rd one best!!! It is full of adventure.

It is an unbelievable story, because it is about the main character named Omri, his friend Patrick, and the �galive�h plastic figures. Of course, this is a fiction book. It is the story when Omri accidentally put his birthday present from Patrick, the plastic Indian into the magic cupboard and he turned the key�c the plastic figure turned into �greal�h Indian. Of coarse he is small, but he is alive, and he has the feeling, and he came form over 100 years ago. They turned more and more plastic figures alive, and it just was great day. Until, they knew that Patrick has to move. But he doesn�ft want to. So, they decided to send Patrick to the Boone�fs (the Texas cowboy which was Patrick�fs plastic figure, but turned into the real tiny person) time. They knew that they could send real people to the plastic figures time, which is more than 100 years ago, because they have tried before. If you send the real person to their time, the person is like a coma. When Patrick went to 100 years ago, every body started to search for him. And the people who knows about the magic cupboard is Omri, Patrick, and Patrick�fs cousin, Emma. They think that they never should tell any adults, because if they tell any adults, it will be a problem, and I agree with them.

Do you think they can keep the important secret and cause no trouble? I don�ft think so. But I�fm not going to tell you any more.

The thing I thought through out the book is that is has great narrative hook, and if you start to read, you can�ft stop it. If you feel like boring, this is the book you should read. It will take you to the miracle world. I think this is the greatest strength of this book. I think this is the one of the wonderful author.

I didn�ft find any weakness, but I recommend one thing. If you haven�ft read the first and second series yet, you should read these first, because you will�@find couple of things you won�ft understand if you won�ft read these books first.

I would recommend this book very much, to all the ages, and I especially recommend this to the 4th through 7th or 8th graders, because I know children likes this kind of magical world book than the most of adults.

Anyway, thank you very much for reading this, and again, you should read this book, or you will regret!!!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Secret of the Indian, February 19, 2004

By 

P. Shah (Cerritos, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret of the Indian (Paperback)

The Secret of the Indian
By: Lynne Reid Banks
Reviewed By: P. Shah
Period 1

Omri and Patrick are forced to reveal their secret to Patrick's cousin. At first, they couldn't trust her one bit, but as things got out of control, they realized they needed Emma. It all starts with Omri sending Patrick to the time of the cowboys. But when Omri brought back the indians and cowboys to life, they were all injured from a war. Omri only had one nurse so he didn't know what to do. There were about 30 injured and half dead indians in Omri's room. that's where Emma came into help. She knew of a plastic figure that was a surgeon that her sister had. By bringing him to life, the indians were helped and headed back to their own time. Meanwhile, Patrick was in the cowboy time and he wasn't having a good time. When he came back, he figured out that he had injured his best friend, a plastic figure of a cowboy. At first the nurse and surgeon thought he was dead but with Omri's strong fingers he stared breathing again. At school Omri read an essay that he wrote about his experience about his magical cupboard. No one thought it was true...except for the principal. The principal said to Omri," They were supposed to make an invention exactly like that and I have a reason to believe that you have that invention." At the end everyone thought the principal was crazy. So, the secret is being kept secret by Omri, Patrick and Emma.
I really like this book because there was so much activity going on in the story. And it's so secretive! It just makes you want to read more and more! There is nothing that i disliked about this book. Quotes: Clinging precariously to the bottom rim of the ceiling, Boone shouted a yell of help before he fell. I liked this quote because it showed action and awe. Another quote: " You need to send us back," Boone shouted. " We can't! We lost the key!" Omri replied. This quote is scary because omri can't find the key so the indians are stuck in the future.
My favorite part of the book is when Omri and Patrick try to keep Emma from learning their secret. But nothing works out and she finds out. I like this part because it is so suspicious of Emma and it's fun to see what they do.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Patrick's in Boone-land?, June 30, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Secret of the Indian (The Indian in the Cupboard) (Hardcover)

Now, this is the third book called "The Secret of the Indian" & it is about Omri's friend Patrick who goes back in time to the Wild West.

Omri & his friend Patrick risk grownups' discovery of their secret when they attempt to help people in the dangerous world of the Old West.

Boone is real & he is a toy cowboy but Boone was mostly small & Patrick was big. On the cover of the book it has Boone laying down & Boone is big & Omri's friend Patrick is small & I think in Chapter 7 called "Patrick in Boone-land" Boone grew big & Patrick got small & it must have been texas.

The chapter titles I like are called 2. Modest Heroes, 5. Patrick goes back, 6. A New Insider, 7. Patrick in Boone-land, 10. A Rough Ride & chapter 13. Mr. Johnson smells a rat. This chapter called "Mr. Johnson smells a rat" makes me silly & he would say if he smelled the rat "Yuck. Ha, Ha, Ha!? & it is so funny.

This book reminds me of a videos called "Spongebob Squarepants: Nautical Nonsence", "Bonanza: The Return" & a Lonestar song called "When Cowboys didn't dance.

I enjoy this book when I would be in the wild west!

I loved it & enjoyed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!