Little, Kimberley Griffiths. The last snake runner.LITTLE, Kimberley Griffiths. The last snake runner. Random House. 210p. c2002.0-440-23782-3. $5.99. JS To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, July 2002: Kendall, age 14, treasures his Native American heritage. His beloved great-grandfather had taught him the ancient Acoma tribal ways and the Keresan language, and when the old man died Kendall became the last living member of the Snake Clan. Kendall also mourns the death of his mother, and when his father remarries and his new wife displays pride in her Spanish conquistador conquistador (kŏnkwĭs`tədôr, Span. kōng-kē'stäthôr`), military leader in the Spanish conquest of the New World in the 16th cent. heritage--though they were the enemies of his Acoma ancestors--Kendall is infuriated in·fu·ri·ate tr.v. in·fu·ri·at·ed, in·fu·ri·at·ing, in·fu·ri·ates To make furious; enrage. adj. Archaic Furious. . He takes off for the reservation, and while exploring a crevice crevice /crev·ice/ (krev´is) fissure. gingival crevice the space between the cervical enamel of a tooth and the overlying unattached gingiva. crev·ice n. in the mesa he finds that he has somehow traveled through time, back hundreds of years to when his ancestors lived there and the conquistadors See also
A
Cushan-rishathaim Aram king to whom God sold Israelites. [O.T.: Judges 3:8] Gibeonites consigned to servitude in retribution for trickery. [O.T.: Joshua 9:22–27] Ham Noah curses him and progeny to servitude. [O. , enslavement en·slave tr.v. en·slaved, en·slav·ing, en·slaves To make into or as if into a slave. en·slave  ment n. , and horrific amputations inflicted on what remains of his tribe. He returns to his own time at last, sadder and wiser, reconciled to the changes in his life. This sequel to Enchanted en·chant tr.v. en·chant·ed, en·chant·ing, en·chants 1. To cast a spell over; bewitch. 2. To attract and delight; entrance. See Synonyms at charm. Runner can stand on its own, and the carefully researched details of Kendall's time with the Acoma, the snake dance, and the battle with the conquistadors in 1599 (further explained in an Author's Note at the end) will captivate readers who like historical fiction, gruesome details of violent deaths and amputations notwithstanding. Kendall's bravery, his love of running, and his respect for tradition come through clearly, and this dramatic story will inform and enthrall YAs. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescent and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students. |
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