The Return of the Indian

The Indian in the Cupboard #2

by Lynne Reid Banks

It's been over a year since Omri discovered in The Indian in the Cupboard that, with the turn of a key, he could magically bring to life the three-inch-high Indian figure he placed inside his cupboard. Omri and his Indian, Little Bear, create a fantastic world together until one day, Omri realizes the terrible consequences if Little Bear ever got trapped in his "giant" world. Reluctantly, Omri sends the Indian back through the cupboard, giving his mother the magic key to wear around her neck so that he will never be tempted to bring Little Bear back to life.



But one year later, full of exciting news, Omri gives way to temptation when he finds that his mother has left the magic key lying on the bathroom sink.



A whole new series of adventures awaits Omri as he discovers that his Indian has been critically wounded during the French and Indian Wars and desperately needs Omri's help.



Now, helplessly caught between his own life and his cupboard life of war and death, Omri must act decisively if he is to save Little Bear and his village from being completely destroyed. What began as a harmless game has tumed into a horrible nightmare, a nightmare in which Omri is irrevocably involved, and from which he may never escape.

Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 10/3/1986 Pages: 192 Reading Level: Age 9 and Up

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Juvenile

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Lynne Reid Banks is a British author of books for children and adults. She has written forty books, including the best-selling children's novel The Indian in the Cupboard, which has sold over 10 million copies and been made into a film.
Banks was born in London, the only child of James and Muriel Reid Banks. She was evacuated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada during World War II but returned after the war was over. She attended St Teresa's School in Surrey. Prior to becoming a writer Banks was an actress, and also worked as a television journalist in Britain, one of the first women to do so. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, was published in 1960.
In 1962 Banks emigrated to Israel, where she taught for eight years on an Israeli kibbutz Yasur. In 1965 she married Chaim Stephenson, with whom she had three sons. Although the family returned to England in 1971 and Banks now lives in Dorset, the influence of her time in Israel can be seen in some of her books which are set partially or mainly on kibbutzim.

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one more than I did! Dang it, Lynne! The first and fourth were great but this one was so so. It seemed like a sequel just to make a sequel. Little Bear, Bright Stars and Boone come back during an invasion by the Frenchmen in the 19th century. Little Bear is wounded while Bright Stars is obviously carrying a child in the womb.

There were new characters and more Indians. Patrick and Omri even go back in time to help the Iroquois. They decide to give them 20th century weapons! Lots of learning time for Omri.

I still appreciated the author's imagination and I have grown fond of the characters but this didn't excel in the storyline. Such a wonderful way to look at plastic toys and history.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure why Lynne Reid Banks feels the need to ruin these great books with coarse words. The Indian in the Cupboard series are great. Boys and girls both love them. There isn't much that could be more exciting to a child than their toys coming to life. But is it necessary to us a--, and other words similar to this in a child's book? I just finished reading this aloud to my children. They loved it. I edited out the words that weren't necessary as I was going.

[Madeline Henricksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Return of the Indian", the sequel to "The Indian in the Cupboard", is about a boy named Omri, a boy named Patrick, a miniature Native American brave called Little Bear, and a miniature Native American squaw called Bright Stars. When Omri opens his magic cupboard again (after keeping it closed for a year) he finds that his best friend Little Bear is now an Indian Chief and he has been wounded. Omri and Patrick must help the wounded Little Bear. As Little Bear recovers, he tells them of the French and Indian War between his people and the French. Omri and Patrick have other Indians that would be willing to train to help fight in the War.

I liked this book but it wasn't my favorite book ever. I liked it when Boone, the miniature cowboy, made his dead horse a grave because I like it when people respect horses.

[Jeremy X · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, the Return of the Indian was a good book, but not amazing. The Indian in the Cupboard, the first book of the series, was more exciting, yet this was a good enough sequel. It has more problems and drama when Little Bear demands "now-guns," his name for modern guns. However, him and his tribe have no training on how to use them, and trouble occurs... Banks doesn't explain the characters as well as the first book.

[MarinaLawliett · Rating 3 out of 5]

*7*

La película basada en el libro fue muy importante para mi en su día y el hecho de haber podido regresar a ese tiempo a través de este libro ha sido increíble 😊💜

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my humble little opinion this book is practically equal in its appeal to the first, which can be tricky for a sequel.
The magic is still there and its still a charming story, with the added bonus of extra characters such as Matron and Corporal Fickits.
I love the way the dialogue is written especially that of Little Bull and Boone, and the author has really made it very easy to fully imagine the personality of each little person.
I've read descriptions of the remaining books in this series, and I'm concerned they may ruin my love of this story - however, I'll give book 3 a go and see what happens.

[Malia Roth · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Elijah’s rating and review*
I didn’t like this one as much as the first one. That’s it.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great sequel to the first book. Loved the adventure going on, maybe it needed a little more pages or more explaination.

[Anthony Buck · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice book, although with several leaps of narrative illogic that hold it back from being a great book.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Return of the Indian is the second of the Indian in the Cupboard series. After a year of keeping the cupboard locked, Omri decides to see Little Bear again.

When Omri brings Little Bear back to life he learns first hand the brutality of war. In an effort to help Little Bear win the war, Omri and his friends interfere first by sending weapons back and then by going back themselves.

See, it's not the cupboard that's magic, it's actually the key. But what and who can go back isn't exactly explained in this sequel. Perhaps later books dig deeper in the magic behind the key.

I enjoyed the darker themes of The Return of the Indian but I still found Omri a rather dull lead character.

[Bookslut · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can see why there is a giant fall-off in readership between the first book and its sequel. Wow, what a fall from grace. We leave behind one of the best kid adventures stories ever to plunge into **spoiler** skinheads, dead horses, and bullying. And the fun doesn't stop there! Yikes, Suckville. I still love the characters, and Cal wants to keep on with it, but I hope Lynne Reid Banks manages a huge rally in the third book. She must have been really going through something when she wrote this one.

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of better with the casual racism but not . . . really

Good story with emotions though

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book, but still an engaging tale. Omri and Patrick definitely seem more meddlesome this time around.

2025 Pippi Post Reader Roulette - Read a Sequel

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved listening to this with my son. It still had valuable life lessons, sobering ones about the fragility of life. I didn't feel it was as strong as the first one.

[Aaron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Racist

[C-shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in _The Indian in the Cupboard_ series. Delightful children's story which is exciting and mature enough for adults to enjoy as well!

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids loved it!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in NYC. 183 pp. I like how this extended the realizations that Omri had about his role in death and war by playing like a god in Little Bear's world. It really brought to mind the end of the Futurama episode where the God character says to Bender, "Bender, being God isn't easy... You have to use a light touch like a safecracker or a pickpocket... When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all."

The Return of the Indian (The Indian in the Cupboard, #2) by Lynne Reid Banks

[Kim Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a kid, and it was just as good as an adult!

[Edi Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming and whimsical and, yes, completely believable. But I didn’t love that Banks used moving Omri and his family to the “bad part of town” as a plot device.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it was a little show and I can't wait to get the next book

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adventure was just as good as I remember from my childhood. The boys and I enjoyed it.

[Katrina]

Dnfed early on as I didn’t like the authors voice. I liked Richard e grant narrating the first one and I can’t find any versions of him narrating the rest of the series

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the original, in my opinion, but my kiddos enjoyed it.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book. It was still good, but the story lacked the nuance and depth of the first. Also, there were a couple times when Omri seemed to act extremely out of character and that bothered me. But still a pretty good sequel.

[Mrtracksclass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review of Return of the Indian- by Lynne Reid Banks

"Return of the Indian" is the second book of four in the classic series of "The Indian in the Cupboard." The series narrates different tales of a child's toys coming to life, similar to the Disney movie "A Toy Story." Main character Omri in "Return of the Indian" controls the fate of his toys, obliging him to make many adult decisions throughout the novel. It’s not always fun and games for Omri when the toys don't want to get along with each other.

The first novel ended with Omri giving the key to his magical cupboard (which brings his toys to life) to his mother because he wanted to avoid the constant temptation to influence his toys lives. In this novel Omri finds the key to the cupboard lying in his mother's washroom and cannot resist his urge to open the cupboard.

Omri discovers that he was not prepared for the journey that would unfold as soon as he lays eyes on his toy Indian, Little Bull. The Indian was severely injured with gun shots from the French soldiers during a recent battle. He feels guilty for not taking care of his toy and goes into a worried panic for Little Bull. He decides to leave him with his wife, Twin Stars while he goes to get help from Patrick. Patrick is his best friend. Together they used to play with their magic toys. Omri asks for Patrick's help after convincing him that the magic in the cupboard still exists. To save Little Bull Omri and Patrick steal a nurse figurine Matron from Patrick's younger cousin Tasmine. The boys then manipulate the nurse into thinking she is having a dream and are able to convince her to save Little Bull. Matron saves Little Bull, however she also has another announcement to make about Twin Stars. Both Patrick and Omri are relieved that Little Bull has recovered but are shocked and unprepared for the news that will change Twin Stars and Little Bull's life.

I gave this book three stars out of five because it kept me engaged and I couldn't stop turning the pages! This book leaves you with suspense and curiosity at the end of each chapter making it difficult to put down. This children's book exposes the sorrow of dealing with death and how fragile and responsible you must be to take care of another life. War almost took Little Bull’s life. When Omri is the only one with the power to save him he controls their destinies. Fortunately for the toys Omri and Patrick take great care and effort to help them, but that doesn't mean that the toys don't try to hurt each other.

The characters are full of life and excitement but sometimes throughout the story I felt there should have been more explanation. For example, it would have been more interesting if Patrick and Omri had a more elaborate story to convince Matron of her current situation on the battlefield. Instead Matron didn't ask many questions and simply believed the boys. The beginning of the book was non eventful and dragged out. However, the pace of the book quickly picked up as more situations developed bringing adventure and excitement. I recon that this novel will engage your imagination to new depths and the imagery will crawl and seep into the back of your mind making reappearances in dreams later on.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot because I have a favorite chapter in this book and I will tell you about it. It all started when Omri and Patrick found out how to put themselves in Indian time of Little Bear. They put Omri in the chest and then locked it with the skeleton key and opened the door and Omri was gone. Omri told Patrick to go five minutes, but five minutes passed and Patrick didn't send him back. And Boone the cowboy was sent back in time too. And while he was looking Omri saw a man who had fire who threw it at the tent - Omri was part of the tent! It hit the part where his feet were. And then another man came but then they fell down, Omri got blinded. And then he heard lots of "oofs." Then two shots rang out. I think I know who shot the gun - Boone did.

Now I want to tell you about Corporal Ficketts. So it all started when they were getting food for Bright Stars, Little Bear's wife. When he saw a head come out, one skinhead came out who went inside his house. Then two more skinheads came. They got the tv, unplugged it and brought it outside. Omri knew they would come for more, and they came back in. They checked every place. Omri went quietly upstairs, and hoped Corporal Ficketts didn't die in the war, put him in the cupboard and turned the key. Ficketts was standing there. Omri told him you are going to have a battle with people my size. And you're not going fight with Indians this time, but British soldiers. So they put all the guns in there and all the British soldiers they had. They put them in and they're all alive. Then Patrick got a book, something flat, and put all the soldiers on it. Patrick turned on the lights and said "Fire!" Corporal Ficketts said, "Fire at will!" And then the soldiers started shooting.

Ok that's it for now. You should really read this book.

[Kressel Housman · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways, this sequel is even better than the first book. Omri is a year older, so he's dealing with more mature issues, specifically some skinhead bullies in his new neighborhood. Similarly, Patrick, who spends part of the book denying that the events of the first ever happened, also represents this oncoming maturity. The boys are nearing the end of childhood.

The first few chapters are entirely non-magical. Omri has won a writing contest for the story of the Indian. Even though that bit is a bit self-congratulatory on the part of the author, it also has some good insights into the writing process, which can be very useful to kids.

Then we get into what we were waiting for - yay! - the magic. Because of the needs of the plot, even more characters come to life than in the last book, which makes things lots of fun. But at the same time, the book takes a serious turn, addressing some moral questions about violence and war, and there's no statement that violence is always wrong or always right. The Indian battle is just a horror, but the skinhead battle is a glorious victory. So it's a very mixed message, but then, so is reality.

If you don't want your kids exposed to violence, this is not the book for you. But it can be used as a good springboard for discussion. Certainly the characters are entertaining, and you've gotta love Omri, who always tries to take responsibility for his choices with his "little people."

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading these aloud to my 8 yo daughter. She is really enjoying them & I recommend them. One caution: the second book is less light-hearted than the first. Boo-hoo Boone is still often funny and the idea of tiny beings drinking from toothpaste tops and doing other mini things is still fun, especially I think for kids who play pretend like that with their figures, but Omri, through, his little people, faces death and loss, and the heavy consequences of decisions they make. [SPOILER - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm going to tell you who dies, so don't read ahead if you don't want a spoiler! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Boone's horse is killed by Omri's cat, and Omri feels responsible for not being watchful and because it is his beloved cat. A number of Indians die in a battle. (They are nameless, but we still definitely feel for them through the suffering of Little Bear and the nurse who can't save them.) The Indian death is hard on Omri too because it is a consequence of his allowing Little Bear to have "now guns." That there are consequences to decisions we make & actions we take is a good topic for discussion, but do use judgement when sharing with a sensitive child.]