The Window

by Michael Dorris

She is the beloved, indomitable fifteen-year-old in Michael Dorris's bestselling novel for adults, A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. She returns, a year older but much wiser, in this year's critically acclaimed companion book, Cloud Chamber. Now, in his first contemporary novel for young readers, Michael Dorris introduces part black, part Indian Rayona Taylor as an eleven-year-old, and imagines the events and relationships that shaped this unforgettable young woman.When her mom's occasional "hard nights" away from home become more frequent, her mostly absent father decides Rayona needs a place to stay -- although not with him. A couple of under-the -table foster care placements later, he has no choice but to take her to stay with his mother, aunt, and grandmother in Kentucky, relatives Rayona has never met. The surprises that await her there lead Rayona to comment to herself, "I'll never again be able to look out a small window and see my whole world from it...".

With humor and poignancy, Michael Dorris has written a jewel of a novel about betrayal, forgiveness, and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

106 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 1997

About the author

Michael Dorris was a novelist, short story writer, nonfiction writer, and author of books for children

The first member of his family to attend college, Dorris graduated from Georgetown with honors in English and received his graduate degree in anthropology from Yale. Dorris worked as a professor of English and anthropology at Dartmouth College.

Dorris was part-Native American through the lineage of his paternal. He founded the Native American Studies department at Dartmouth in 1972 and chaired it until 1985.

In 1971, Dorris became the first unmarried man in the United States to adopt a child. His adopted son, Reynold Abel, was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and his condition became the subject of Dorris' The Broken Cord,(the pseudonym "Adam" is used for his son in the book).

In 1981, Dorris married aspiring writer Louise Erdrich. Throughout their relationship, Erdrich and Dorris edited and contributed to each other's writing.

In 1991, Dorris' adopted son, Reynold Abel, died after being hit by a car. In 1996, Louise Erdrich separated from Dorris. On April 10, 1997, Dorris committed suicide in Concord, New Hampshire.

Reviews

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of a 10 year old girl( Rayona ), who is moved around from a foster family to her fathers mother and great grandmother across the U.S. from Seattle to Louisville while her mother is in a treatment facility.
Family is family no matter the color is their skin.
After a while her mother is well enough to be one her own.
Rayona and her mother are reunited. Royona is comfortable after receiving love and acceptance from her relatives

[Pat Trattles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the free table at our library's book sale, having no preconceived notions as to what it was about. I enjoyed it. After finishing it I was curious as to what others thought and read some reviews. Some people thought Rayona's thoughts were too mature for a girl of 11 and she acted more like an adult. I disagree. Just because this is a children's book does not mean it can't address some tough issues. Not everyone has a perfect life and kids understand that. Rayona had a very hard life, basically being forced to raise herself when her mother had "hard nights." Anyone in that situation would be forced to grow up fast. Her ambivalent feelings toward her mother when temporarily placed with relatives she'd just meant while her mother detoxed are perfect reflections of the thoughts and feelings of a child her age. She loves her mother. But she hates the fact that her mother could not be trusted to be there for her. The thread woven through the ending of the book whereby it is the "whiteness" of the family that is the secret that needs to be kept is an interesting twist.

[Katie Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I certainly don't like the glorification of keeping weighty secrets from your parents, regardless of how flawed those adults may be. That alone earned it a much lower rating and I would not recommend it to young readers. I don't like how neatly this story portrays such a complex issue. And why are the young protagonists always so precocious? But it's easy to like all the characters and they are relatively well-developed for such a short book.

[Aly Engaged · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting story of a girl who loves her mother dearly
Though her love for her drugs is more important . The adventure Rayona takes is heartfelt and wondrous.

[Olivia Hall]

Changes
Olivia Hall
La 1
Michael Dorris has written and focused on multiple books about people's characteristics. I’ve always been a caring intelligent person just like the main character Rayonna in the book The Window. In this book about family-bonds and independence, it grabs you into the world Rayonna lives in and lets you experience what it’s like for her.
An 11 year old girl named Rayonna ,that’s mixed with African American and Native American, sits in her small apartment window everyday waiting for her mom to get home. Her long distant father comes home one day from who knows where, and notices her mom isn’t home. After thinking about what to do, he calls his friend Irene that owes him a ‘’favor’’ to take her into foster care. She goes to a Caucasian home finding out that her mom has gone to rehab. After one night, she leaves and goes to a different house. The owner of the next house was a very strict woman. Rayonna felt alone and needed to be with family so her dad took her from the home cross-country, to Kentucky. Still missing her mother's company, her grandma and aunt take her back to her home to find her mother.
Like most other books, the characters have individual personalities. Rayonna is a very caring, heart-warming person. The sophisticated girl would turn something terrible to the best day ever. Both of her parents are like shadows in her life.
The main conflict in this novel is betrayal. Throughout the book, Rayonna feels betrayed by her parents and everyone in general. Even though the main focus is on Rayonna, many characters have hardships. If you want a book that’s emotional and gets too serious matter, this is the novel you should read. Although this is a very great book, it’s not very unique. Also, it promises more than given. There are so many books in the Teen Drama genre that are similar to this novel. They all deal with the same thing. Personality changes.
The author writes great literature in this book and will always continue to. The Window will always be a recommendation from me to other people. This novel will always stick with me and remind me what it’s like to be able to change.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short novel about family explores the cliche fact that sometimes you find family in the last place you'd expect it. A young girl who is used to living with her mother goes to visit her father's far away family (that she didn't know existed) while her mother is going through rehab. Although she is apprehensive at first, she finds a loving support network that she'll never be able to recreate once she leaves and goes back to her mother. It ends with a "wild" adventure as the sisters take the girl back to her mother many miles away.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family. Secrets. Growing up. (Parts of this remind me of Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons.) This is an easy read, but it seems incomplete. I wanted to know more. Maybe it feels this way because it was written as a prequel to A Yellow Raft in Blue Water and Cloud Chamber, both of which I now want to read.

The book begins: " She never says good-bye and so I never know when she’ll be gone. It’s one of those things that you find out by its happening—like lightning, ..."

[Imani ♥ ☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this awhile ago. Maybe in the 5th grade. Anyway, I had forgot the author's name and I couldn't find this book for nothing. I Googled it and ended up getting stuff about how to Fix a window and stuff like that. Well, I finally found this book. The only problem is I don't remember a single thing about this book other than that fact the girl in here is mixed.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the story, the depth, the freshness of voice. The only draw back was the scarcity of the ending.

[Janelle Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

i totally forgot that i had read this. my previous notes tell me that i thought it was a good book about a mixed race family. the topics were love and family and it was a short easy read.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice short read that deals with a variety of teen issues. I think that most teens could identify with some part of this book.

[Aleisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Very raw and tender little book that looks at tough issues that can occur within a family. This one tugs at your heart strings a bit, but leaves you with a feeling of hope.

[Iliana]

so far its good.