The Indian in the Cupboard Paperback – by Lynne Reid Banks (Yearling)

 This is a true classic. It was written maybe 25-30 years ago and the movie was made several years after that I believe. This is a family friendly video and a great read along book. It stirs the imagination and teaches some great lessons.

In this story a little boy named Omri who is gifted a cupboard and discovers that when he puts little plastic things in it they come alive. This starts with a little Indian named Little Bear who is an Iroquois. Later Omri's best friend Patrick puts a cowboy (Boone) into the magic cupboard who also comes to life. Omri learns that he can't just have a live human as a toy. He also learns that he has some responsibility for this new found friend of his and also Boone.

The part that is so touching and that makes this movie (and book) so meaningful is that Little Bear is willing to teach Omri. He's angry and frustrated to be where he is (a tiny person in a big world, in a different time period etc). He doesn't just get angry and stay angry though. He uses this as a teaching moment and begins to teach Omri about manhood and responsibility. Omri must help Little Bear with the physical things- food, housing, etc while at the same time Little Bear must teach Omri about growing up.

While Boone and Patrick are a part of this story they are really a side of this story while the bulk of the story centers around Omri and Little Bear. And in fact they are, in some ways, opposite of Little Bear and Omri. Boone is not as able (or willing?) to teach Patrick about his situation. He is also quick to anger and stay angry rather than using that moment to teach. Additionally, it is Omri who must mostly take care of Boone and make the tough decisions even to the point of sending Little Bear and Boone back home.

By todays standards of being worried about offending everyone and avoiding any and all stereotypes this book might never get published and this movie never get made. That would be a shame.

There is a reason that many of us who read this book or watched this movie as a child are bringing it back into our lives for our children is that it is a classic. One of the things that makes a book a classic or a video a classic is that it has life lessons in it. In this case lessons about responsibility, strength of character, growing into adulthood, respect and more. It is more than just an imaginary story about little people or big people taking care of little people- there are plenty of books like that out there. This book is different because it sparks the imagination and it teaches life lessons and that is what keeps bringing people back to this story.