Product Description

For thousands of years, in the jungles of the Amazon, shamans have passed their wisdom of the medicinal values of rain forest plants from one generation to the next. The Shaman's Apprentice tells the story of a Tirio Indian boy who dreams of one day being the tribal shaman, and how he and his people learn the importance of their own knowledge about the healing properties of the rain forest.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46597 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 36 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780152024864
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

From Booklist
Ages 5^-9. The author of The Great Kapok Tree (1990) takes us back to the Amazon rain forest, this time teaming up with ethnobotanist Plotkin. Together, they present a story in which a lesson about medicinal herbs is brought to life through young Kamanya, who dreams of becoming his tribe's next shaman. Kamanya spends his time following the current shaman into the forest and learning the secrets of the plants. But local plants can't cure the new diseases brought to the area by strangers, and the pills the strangers bring with them cause the indigenous people to lose faith in the ability of their shaman. Eventually a woman named Gabriella, who comes to study the properties of the rain forest plants, restores the tribe's faith. The lush illustrations make the story a visual pleasure. Even the endpapers are rich in detail, picturing some of the rain forest plants and noting their uses. Like other books Cherry has worked on, this one, which is based on a true story, is a unusual addition to rain forest literature. It will be useful not only for story hours but also as a springboard for classroom discussion for older children as well as younger ones. Helen Rosenberg

Review
"Cherry's watercolors are filled with flora and fauna and reveal her appreciation for this environment and its people." -- School Library Journal

"Cherry's watercolors are filled with flora and fauna and reveal her appreciation for this environment and its people." -School Library Journal -- Review

"Cherry's watercolours are filled with flora and fauna and reveal her appreciation for this environment and its people - School Library Journal"

Steve Lavis looks at animals foreign and domestic with two Peek-Through Board Books. On the Farm follows the wooly sheep as he searches out who has eaten its breakfast. As each page is turned, more animals become visible through the die-cut spaces. The culprits are found behind the tractor. In the Jungle follows the same format, only this time a crocodile is in hiding. "Here I am!" shouts the crocodile on the last spread. Then he asks, "Who wants to hide next? (Publishers Weekly )

About the Author
LYNNE CHERRY lives on a farm in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland.

MARK J. PLOTKIN lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Best book for teaching children about people and nature.
"The Shaman's Apprentice" presents more information about the relationship between people and nature than many much larger volumes. The story of Kamanya, Gabriela, and the shaman Nahtahlah, educates children about the important roles of all living things. The text is supported by rich and colorful illustrations which easily maintains the interest of children from four to 14. If you want the children in your life to understand the importance of rain forests and the need to preserve them, you must have this book.

a must read for children!
A compelling and tender story with beautiful, botanically correct and lush illustrations - this is a wonderful guide to rain forest life and healing powers. Fun for children and their parents to read!

An ecological lesson for children and their parents
The Shaman's Apprenctice is one of the rarest of books. It combines an engaging true story with beautiful illustrations. The result in an aural-visual experience that transcends the age of the audience and presents a valuable message to all. It should be required reading for every planetary denizen.