Morning Girl

Rating:
Summary: A story of sibling rivalry and family ties
Review: "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.

Rating:
Summary: Discuss This Topic With Your Students
Review: I am saddened to hear this beautiful book called boring in some of these reviews. Obviously the true message Michael Dorris gives is missed. The author paints a very vivid picture of how close this family is, how they belong to a real community of loving people, and how they are much like the contemporary family today. Then comes Christopher Columbus to snatch the Tainos from the Island and whisk them to Spain to become "real people". What a great discussion this book leads. This is one book that may not be picked up willingly by young hands, but needs to be suggested. Then, watch the discussion begin!

Rating:
Summary: Morning Girl
Review: This book is different; it does not have a "plot" in the traditional sense. Instead, it is filled with images, thoughts, and impressions. The innocence of the two children, the sister and brother, underscores the innocence of the Tainos people. No book has ever made me feel such a powerful sense of tragedy, compassion, and foreboding. If you are looking for an excellent children's book that is filled with details about the Tainos and Columbus, I would recommend "The Tainos, the People Who Welcomed Columbus," by Francine Jacobs.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: This book spoke to me on a higher level than that of a history lesson or of good literature, and surely this book is both of those things. However, anyone who has seen the magic and mystery in his own children will understand and appreciate the soft spots of this tenderly crafted tale. The words are lovely, the characters are realistic, and the tapestry Mr. Dorris attempts to weave with his words comes out as a masterpiece of the human condition.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: This book was an interesting work of art, which included seeing life in an unusual format. It contained life for a girl named Moring Girl and a boy named Star Boy, and their relationship together as a family. There is a storm, and Star Boy gets close to dying, and meets his grandfather who died, his little sister who never came, and his relatives that passed away, and connected with them by skimming heaven. In the end, (I won't spoil it for you...) Morning Girl encounters Indians? Christopher Columbus? Which? Read it and interprate it for yourself........

Rating:
Summary: abouslutly TERRIBLE and really should be 0 stars,
Review: When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be an interesting historical ficiton novel. I thought I would enjoy it, and maybe learn a little too. I didn't enjoy it, and I don't remember learning much except that Morning Girl is a great book to read when you have insomina. The thing I reallly hated about this book is that there is NO plot whatsoever. I understand that the author wantend to make the book feel realaxing and idalyicc, but he went a little to far. The basic rules of fictional stories are that there is to be a promblem that the main charecter(s) should have to solve. I leanend that in about second grade.Apprently the author never learnend this. Maybe he was writing this book during english clas, but his manuscript was so boring he fell asleep. Another thing that really annoyed me is that on the back cover (or at least on the copy that I had)it said the book takes place when Columbus comes to the island. That was really what peaked my intrest in the first place. I was looking to see the peaceful indians clash with the powerful european explorers. Alas, this was not to be. Columbus didn't come to the LAST PAGE! I'm not exagerrating, he really didn't come untill the end of the story. Uh.. Hello, aren't you supposed to have important things happen at the BEGGING of your story. Maybe the authour was trying to document the last days of the peaceful carib indians civallaztion, but he failed spectatuclerly. My last comment isn't a major one, but it was irritating none the less. I found it very difficlut to diffenentiate the chapters from morning girls point of view, and star boys. Yes, I know it said so at the top of the page, but I kept missing it, and I often would read half a chapeter before relizing who's pov it was. Not that the charecters are interesting enough for me to really care what happens to them. In counclusion, this book really sucks, you shouldn't waste your money on it, and I'm very thankful I got it from the libary. I only wasted my time. The only reasons one should ever torture themselves with this poor excuse for a book is if your a detective investigating literary abuse, or if your trying to get to sleep. You'll be out like a light.