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The Deer Dancer
Juan Araiza is a Yaqui Indian boy with no money, no shoes, no education, and no future. He leaves his village to search for his father a man he never knew in Mexico s second largest city. He doesn t find his father, but his native wit and grit take him all the way from the streets to a job in the federal government. He meets the charismatic Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos and soon finds himself feeling torn his head in the government job and his heart in the black-masked Zapatista fight for Indian rights.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 1, 2012
Deer Dancer Is a Delight
In "The Deer Dancer," Gary Winters gives us a small book with a big story. A story about a Yaqui boy living in a one-room hut with his mother, brother and sisters in northern Mexico. Fourteen-year-old Juan Araiza and his impoverished family epitomize the fate of the down-trodden Indians in a country dominated by corrupt officials who cash in on their European ancestry and cling to class privilege.
The men of the village--including Juan's father--are gone, lured to the big cities by jobs and the promise of money. But they never come back. Juan sets out to find his father, once a renowned deer dancer, and vows to his mother to return and provide for her.
The resourceful teen works his way up the financial ladder--from scullery boy to cowboy to public official--but his acquisition of power and influence force him to confront Zapatista insurgents fighting for Indian rights. He must choose between his good fortune and his heart-felt loyalty to his Indian compatriots and heritage. (The story has a message for those of us north of the border as well.)
If anything, the award-winning, hardcover book (184 pages, published by Jaguar Tales, and distributed by Sunbelt Publications) is too spare, too short. I yearned for more detail, a fuller picture of Juan's life. Then again, there's an old saying in show biz: Leave them wanting more. I do want more. I'm looking forward to Winters' next effort.
Young adult by genre, "The Deer Dancer" is an enchanting tale for all ages. This improbable yet heart-warming fable is both inspirational and motivational. Most important of all, it gives us hope.
Read this book. You'll be glad you did. And, by the way, you just might learn a thing or two about eco-friendly construction.
In "The Deer Dancer," Gary Winters gives us a small book with a big story. A story about a Yaqui boy living in a one-room hut with his mother, brother and sisters in northern Mexico. Fourteen-year-old Juan Araiza and his impoverished family epitomize the fate of the down-trodden Indians in a country dominated by corrupt officials who cash in on their European ancestry and cling to class privilege.
The men of the village--including Juan's father--are gone, lured to the big cities by jobs and the promise of money. But they never come back. Juan sets out to find his father, once a renowned deer dancer, and vows to his mother to return and provide for her.
The resourceful teen works his way up the financial ladder--from scullery boy to cowboy to public official--but his acquisition of power and influence force him to confront Zapatista insurgents fighting for Indian rights. He must choose between his good fortune and his heart-felt loyalty to his Indian compatriots and heritage. (The story has a message for those of us north of the border as well.)
If anything, the award-winning, hardcover book (184 pages, published by Jaguar Tales, and distributed by Sunbelt Publications) is too spare, too short. I yearned for more detail, a fuller picture of Juan's life. Then again, there's an old saying in show biz: Leave them wanting more. I do want more. I'm looking forward to Winters' next effort.
Young adult by genre, "The Deer Dancer" is an enchanting tale for all ages. This improbable yet heart-warming fable is both inspirational and motivational. Most important of all, it gives us hope.
Read this book. You'll be glad you did. And, by the way, you just might learn a thing or two about eco-friendly construction.
June 7, 2010
I really liked this book. The cultural connections were fascinating, giving the characters a sense of pride and teaching readers about them. It was interesting and engaging. Although it wasn't "grip at the end of your seat!" adventure. It was still exciting and kept me wanting to read more. Fantastic work!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews