The Flute Player
Book Review:
This book is a mournful, yet beautiful story about an Apache boy and
his friendship with his flute and a young girl. Every year the Apache
village would hold a social gathering for the young people called a
hoop dance. The young boy and girl only danced with one another, and
he began to tell her that he liked to play the flute. She told him that
she would listen to him while she worked for her father in the canyon,
and if she liked his song, she would float a leaf down the river. This
went on for sometime, and they grew very fond of one another.
Eventually, the boy was old enough to learn how to hunt so he went
on his journey, and was unable to play music for the girl. The girl
became heartbroken, which eventually made her ill, and she died.
When the boy returned from hunting, he immediately ran to play the
flute for the girl. No leaf returned. He found out from her brother
that she had died of an illness. Even though this tragedy occurred,
he still returned to their spot by the river to play for the girl in
heaven. To this day, the Apache people believe that they can hear him
playing for the girl in wind.
This Apache folktale has wonderful geometrical and colorful illustrations
done by the author-illustrator Michael Lapaca.
There is an interview
with Michael Lacapa on this Web site.
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