Wabi: A Hero's Tale (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Wabi: A Hero's Tale April Spisak Bruchac, Joseph Wabi: A Hero's Tale. Dial, 2006 [192p] ISBN 0-8037-3098-5$16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 7-10 Wabi the owl was kicked out of the nest too young by his brutal brother, and he's since been raised by his wise and caring great-grandmother, who sees Wabi's potential for greatness. While she foretold his desire to transform into a human, the realization of this secret longing takes Wabi completely by surprise after he discovers that he has fallen in love with a headstrong young Abenaki woman, Dojihla. Thrilled to learn that he has an inherited ability to choose between human and owl form, Wabi eagerly undergoes the transformation in the hopes of winning her heart, only to find himself inept as a new human and uninformed about the way to win over the suspicious Dojihla. Seamlessly expanded from a short story included in Singer's Make Me Over (BCCB 1/06), this novel handles with subtlety the familiar moral about loving oneself before gaining the love of others; this is an adventurous and often humorous quest story first and message-driven novel second. The counterpointing of bird and human sensibilities, which will be familiar to fans of Kindl's Owl in Love (BCCB 10/93), is deftly executed. The poetic descriptions of the frailty of humans and the beauty of the world from both human and bird perspectives combine with a rich, realistic romance to make a fluid and well-paced novel about love in various forms. Copyright © 2006 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois