Product Description

The best adolescent fiction offers more than an escape from teenage turmoil; it instructs as it entertains, giving young readers a view into lives--fictional though they may be--outside their own. Without sentimentality or preachiness but with clear awareness of this power, Michael Dorris tells the story of Walnut, a young Native American boy. Because Walnut can't see well, he has difficulty meeting the challenges, especially feats of skill with bow and arrow, that prove he is ready to receive a new name and become an adult. When a sympathetic uncle invents a new contest to " see what can't be seen," the boy's other senses bring success and earn him the name Sees Behind Trees. Dorris could easily stop there, but he nudges the youngster onward through a series of trials that show adulthood is about more than getting there. (Ages 8 and up)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #250531 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Amazon.com Review
The best adolescent fiction offers more than an escape from teenage turmoil; it instructs as it entertains, giving young readers a view into lives--fictional though they may be--outside their own. Without sentimentality or preachiness but with clear awareness of this power, Michael Dorris tells the story of Walnut, a young Native American boy. Because Walnut can't see well, he has difficulty meeting the challenges, especially feats of skill with bow and arrow, that prove he is ready to receive a new name and become an adult. When a sympathetic uncle invents a new contest to "see what can't be seen," the boy's other senses bring success and earn him the name Sees Behind Trees. Dorris could easily stop there, but he nudges the youngster onward through a series of trials that show adulthood is about more than getting there. (Ages 8 and up)

From Publishers Weekly
Dorris's (Morning Girl) eloquent, beautifully crafted coming-of-age tale centers on Walnut, a near-sighted Native American boy whose uncanny ability to use his other senses earns him the adult name Sees Behind Trees. Set in the distant, pre-colonial past, the story finds the boy moving hesitantly into adulthood?gradually gaining confidence in himself and his perceptions; learning humility when he prizes his talents too highly; earning the respect of his tribe when he escorts an elderly wise man on a dangerous journey. Both sharply and lyrically observed, fraught with emotion, the first-person narrative should connect strongly with a young audience, who will quickly learn that, no matter the century or the culture, the fundamentals of growing up remain very much the same. The authenticity of the characterizations and setting will ease readers toward acceptance of the quasi-mystical adventure that crowns the story. It's a thrilling read, with the pleasures compounding at every turn of the page. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8?This compelling coming-of-age story set in pre-Columbian America is rich in imagery and chock-full of wisdom. The novel begins as Walnut, a bright and earnest, but seriously myopic boy realizes that, try as he might, he will never master the skills he needs to become a competent hunter. His mother, who is responsible for his training, takes a different tack and encourages him to "look with his ears." The boy hones his unusual talent so well that he earns the right to his grown-up name. Because of his ability to "to see what can't be seen," he is given special status within the tribe and is selected to accompany Gray Fire, a respected village elder, on a pilgrimage to find the land of water, a place that has eluded the old man since his youth. Much of the book deals with their journey, during which Sees Behind Trees learns a great deal from Gray Fire about the nature of dreams and gains some valuable self-knowledge in the process. The young man encounters "strangers" for the first time, is tested physically and spiritually, and ultimately proves himself a man by finding his way home. There's a timeless quality to this 15th-century adventure that will be meaningful and immediate for young people today. Dorris takes on some meaty existential issues here; he does so with grace, bighearted empathy, and always with crystal-clear vision.?Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

A great story for anyone who is less than perfect
Walnut, a Powhatan boy in pre-Colonial Virginia, is approaching the age when he will have to take a test to prove himself ready for manhood. Because he is very near-sighted in a world without glasses, he is afraid he will not be able to pass the test, which involves hitting a moving target with an arrow. His mother teaches him to use his other senses, so Walnut is ready when the village matriarch announces a special test, which involves "seeing" something hidden behind a clump of trees. Walnut is able to use his other senses to detect Gray Fire walking towards the village, and earns his adult status as well as his adult name, Sees Behind Trees. Because of his skill, Sees Behind Trees is asked to aid Gray Fire in his quest for a hidden land. Avoiding dangers along the way, the two reach the end of Gray Fire's quest, but this proves to be only the beginning of a new quest for Sees Behind Trees. Sees Behind Trees is an beautifully written coming-of-age tale that meets the needs of readers in several ways. The tale is told in the first person with a skill that strongly connects the reader with the tale, and will allow young readers to place themselves inside the story. The characters are realistic, particularly Sees Behind Trees (nee Walnut), with whose emotions and anxieties the reader can readily identify. A young audience will quickly recognize similarities between events in the book and their own experiences in growing up, despite the differences in time and culture. This makes this book an excellent choice for students in or going into middle school, as they are faced with similar changes in their own rights and responsibilities, and with changing expectations from those around them. The story is also clearly described, allowing the reader to "see" Sees Behind Trees' world better than he can, as well as providing vivid portrayals of sounds, scents and sensations often lacking in other books. The quest that Gray Fire and Sees Behind Trees pursue is a quasi-mystical adventure with which the reader is nevertheless able to identify. Dorris' research of the Powhatan Indians (he cites his references in his acknowledgements) is thorough, lending further credibility and detail to the story. This story will be of particular interest to students with one or more disabilities, correctable or not, including but not limited to those with vision problems. The fact that Sees Behind Trees is able to overcome his problems purely through adaptation and perseverance makes this tale all the more insightful, meaningful and inspirational.

Sees Behind Trees
Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris was published by Hyperion in 1996. This is a fictoinal coming of age story with a bit of fantasy in it. In the beginning I thought it wouldn't be interesting and when I finished I realised I was right. I didn't like the book because it didn't have any action and wasn't exciting. However, I thought it would have taught me something and I was wrong. This is a coming-of-age story was about a boy that becomes a man and he has a problem. The setting was a Native American tribe probably living in California. The main character is Sees Behind Trees. His other name, when he was a boy, was Walnut. Another important character is a man named Gray Fire. The story was told in first person by Sees Behind Trees . The mood was hopeful but the problem was never really solved. The writing was dull and slow moving. The story was not engaging because it was too slow moving for what I like. I couldn't figure out what the author's point was. I would not recommend this book if you like action books. Sees Behind Trees is an odd person and the story was weird. I would not like to read another book like this.

A deep dark tale
A fascinating tale of the lives of the old and young. In this story, a boy's handicap becomes a strength, and then an unwanted power. Following the adventures of a Native American boy, the story explores the nature of desire and our own darkness. The book was, in my opinion, well written and at no point relied on stereotypes. The book's Native Americans are never named, and this makes perfect sense. It reminds of that play, "Fifth of July", where an old hippie remarks that Eskimos call themselves "the people" and everyone else, "the other people". To which his co-horts exclaim, "Of course they say that. Everyone says that!". This came to mind while reading this book. I liked it. I liked the plot and the characters. I liked the odd jealousy the weroance had for her brother, and how the book didn't condemn her for it. I liked the descriptions of the land of water the most. I wasn't particularly taken with the magical realism concerning the disappearance of Gray Fire, but then it wasn't a bad way of presenting his disappearance. In the end, it's a strong story with a couple odd twists and turns. It would read aloud very well, and could pair with "A Boy Called Slow" as a story of a boy becoming a man.