Morning Girl (Paperback)

by Michael Dorris (Author) "The name my family calls me is Morning Girl because I wake up early, always with something on my mind..." (more)
Key Phrases: new sister, Star Boy, Morning Girl, Red Feathers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
A peaceful, tropical world is the setting for Morning Girl, a simple yet rich glimpse into the lives of a young sister and brother. Morning Girl and Star Boy grapple with timeless, universal issues such as experiencing simultaneous anger and love toward family members and the quest to discover the true self. As all siblings do, these children respond to, play off of, and learn from each other. Precisely where Morning Girl and Star Boy are growing up is not revealed, but it's clearly a place where the residents have no modern amenities. Living in harmony with nature is a necessary priority here, and--given the descriptive names of the characters--a Native Indian culture seems likely. But not until the epilogue do readers discover that the story takes place in 1492. Suddenly we realize that the strange-looking visitors Morning Girl welcomes to shore are not as harmless as they may appear. The excerpt from Christopher Columbus's journal provides an ominous footnote: these gentle people, who seem so very much like us, will not be permitted their idyllic existence much longer.

From Publishers Weekly
In a starred, boxed review, PW praised this "soulful, affecting portrait" of a Bahamian family in 1492. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: Hyperion Books (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562826611
• ISBN-13: 978-1562826611
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,467,827 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story of sibling rivalry and family ties, November 24, 2002

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: Morning Girl (Mass Market Paperback)

"Morning Girl," by Michael Dorris, is a short novel that is told in the first person by two of its characters, Morning Girl and her brother Star Boy. The chapters alternate between these characters' two voices. The children live with their parents in an island village; their community has a pre-industrial culture.

Morning Girl and her brother have the type of conflict you might expect between a sister and her sometimes annoying younger brother. This relationship is explored against the backdrop of the children's culture and the island setting. I particularly liked the character of Star Boy: he's experiencing some emotional growing pains as he yearns for respect while still engaging in some childish actions. An important theme in the book is the naming tradition of the children's culture.

Dorris writes in a clear, poetic prose style that is touched by a mystical element. And don't miss the startling epilogue which pulls the whole story into focus.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars bringing siblings together, March 6, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Morning Girl (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a great book if you have a younger brother or sister. I do and I was able to realte to Morning Girl. This book was about the stuggels families go through. Through all their differences they all know that deep down they still love each other. This is a great book for all of you that are struggleing with your siblings!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Poetry!, June 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Morning Girl (Hardcover)

Instead of reading this book for plot, try reading it as a poem, in book form. The book paints emotions and images and experiences that are wonderful to feel. These things are so much more important than the plot, in which the Spanish don't show up until the last five pages. This is a book about naming and being and growing up. It is excellent for adults (I agree that this is not exactly a children's book, although some children might understand it) who are dreamers, who dream of becoming a rock or a breath of wind.