Wabi Book Review

Have you ever just impulsively walked into a bookstore with no real purpose, except to browse? We recently went to a not-so local mall, just to have a look before we went out to dinner. That's when I stumbled on Waldenbooks, and all the tables and carts of clearance books. My husband gave me that "look" and said he was going to sit and have a nap while I looked. There were a couple of interesting books, but when one of the employees came out with another box of books to put out, she said, "Did you know that all of the ones with the blue label are buy-one-get-one-free?" So much for an easy escape!

While looking through all those great buys, I came across this lovely gem. I know that I've been told over and over again that one should never buy a book for its cover, but this is one that I did. The cover art just grabbed me. I loved the colors and the intriguing art work, and the style said the book should be a fantasy, so I took a chance. It was even better than I had hoped for!



Wabi: A Hero's Tale
by Joseph Bruchac
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Audience: Everyone

A beautiful tale based on a Native American legend about a runt owl named Wabi. Before Wabi could fly, he was pushed out of his nest by his larger brother. Instead of falling to his death, he ended up in some briers, getting more tangled as he struggled. A fox saw his fall and was just about to eat Wabi, when he was rescued by his great-grandmother. She took care of him and taught him many great things, including the fact that they could speak in human language as well as other animal languages. Wabi was fascinated with humans and would go and watch the nearby village, being amused with all the activities that went on. He was also saddened, as he wanted to badly to be able to play some of the games that he saw the children play. After many months of watching the village, he came to realize that he had fallen in love with the chief's daughter. His only dream was to become human so he could spend his life with her. The paths Wabi chose and the adventures he went on, truly made him a hero.

This was such a beautiful and well told story. It was filled with magic, monsters, animals that talked, adventure, suspense, loyalty, and friendship, with a dash of humor thrown in. I adored Wabi from the start. His character was full of spunk and wit that made him lovable and with depth. Many times I found myself chuckling at something he did or said. At the same time, when he struggled with his love for a human, and the paths he chose, I found myself wrapped up in the process and not wanting him to continue with the choice he made - at least not at first. However, there is always a great lesson to be learned from a legend... "Be who you are." This is a great story that will make you laugh and possibly cry - and will leave you fully satisfied. Highly recommended for all ages.