Tribe of Star Bear

By Victoria Mihalyi

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 088887832X
• ISBN13: 9780888878328
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Borealis Pr
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 4.3" x 0.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Let "Tribe of Star Bear" take you on a magical journey......

Tribe of Star Bear Victoria Mihalyi Let your imagination soar with the novel Tribe of Star Bear. Victoria Mihalyi's first book is an unforgettable reading experience. In the beginning, Tribe of Star Bear is set in a calm forest, where the birds sing their songs. The atmosphere changes to fear and desperation however as the plot unfolds. Mihalyi's characters are funny and touching. The forest-folk live much as humans do; they even have a community council. The deer dislike mess and disorder and consider it their job to clean up the left-over peach pits, corn husks and nut-shells left behind by the party-going wild raccoons. Almedon is a wise golden eagle. Bohadea is a kind bear who wishes to make anyone ill well. Ollidollinderi (known as Olli) is a funny squirrel who rides on Amber, a lost little girl who wants to be a part of the tribe. As the Warriors of the Rainbow they must stop the Rumblers from destroying the forest. The novel is based on a Hopi Indian legend, which warns that people will have to band together and work with actions, not words to save the earth. The Rumblers, large mean animals, gorge the forest and leave only black wasteland behind. There is no time for anything. The forest folk unite under the title Tribe of Star Bear and try to defeat the Rumblers. They must leave their homes immediately to get advice and use an old bear Song as their guide. They start out on their search for Istarna, where they will receive advice and magical talismans. Star Bears great-granddaughter is so old her fur is white. I loved the part where the tribe entered Istarna's cave. The author described the gems and diamonds in the cave so clearly I could picture it perfectly in my mind. Istarna gives them advice and magical talismans to help them with their fight. Pudd Wudd Princeling, the witty cat that they meet just before finding Istarna also gives them advice (in the form of tricky riddles). They meet Pudd Wudd while looking for Istarna ."Don't ignore half moon door" and "At a howl in the night, strike with red light" were just two of his many riddles. The enigmas puzzled them and me for awhile. I found this a great book to read because I can easily relate to the characters love for the forest. I could see the paths leading to each animal's home, the tall old trees, the smell of the morning dew's dampness, and all the deep rich natural colors. The animals love their forest home where they have lived in peace. In my mind's eye I thought of the Rumblers as big heartless machines. I also enjoyed trying to figure out the cat's riddles and how the tribe would defeat the Rumblers. I found this book very imaginative and magical with its flying bears, talking animals and talismans. It left me sad over the loss of some friends but glad that the Tribe defeated the Rumblers. This book will capture any reader's mind has left me thinking about it since I finished it. Any child or adult would love this book.

"Outstanding excitement !"

I think that The Tribe of Star Bear is a pretty good book. Although, it would not be the same without the arguing Almedon, and the chattering, complaining, Ollidullinderi. It's unlike any other book I've ever read. On a scale of 1 to 10, my favorite books rate this: Baby-Sitters Club - 7, Animorphs - 8, and The Tribe of Star Bear - 10. I have never heard of anything like a Saroo before, except for Hork-Bajir in Animorphs, and even that isn't as strange as a Saroo !I recommend this book for anyone who has ever loved adventure and excitement.

"The Incredible Journey" without the dog but with a message.

This wonderful parable of man's destructiveness and hatred vs. the natural order of things and love is such a lovely book that it is a shame to restrict it to twelve-year-old readers! This 47-year-old female certainly enjoyed it, laughing at the antics of the four members of the Tribe of Star Bear and crying at their frustration, pain and loss. Bohadea - the bear, Almedon - the eagle, Amber - the human girl, and Olli - the squirrel, are an unlikely band of allies who are given the task of rescuing their friends from the jaws of the Rumblers; monsters who are levelling the forest floor and destroying all animals and their homes in their wake. But during the course of the story, this unlikely tribe learns to accept and appreciate each member's special gifts, talents and personalities and this acceptance and shared battle forges them together to become a solid team, a force to be reckoned with. A particular strength of this book is that the message therein is loud and clear (the Rumblers and Saroos can be unmasked easily by thoughtful readers) but the message is never preachy. The addition of the spiritualistic message of the Hopi Tribe, combined with the belief in the human power to overcome all hardships, makes this the kind of reading that resounds in your heart long after the reader has completed it. In addition, there is humour to lighten the book. Ms. Mihalyi uses the idiomatic language of this decade and adapts it to the characters of her heroes in such a way that even potentially sad passages elicit loud laughter through the animals' dialogue. The merry band of four comes alive in front of your eyes and when they part at the end - albeit a happy one - the reader is sad to bid them farewell. I'm not in the habit of reading children's books, but I am glad I read this one. Like "The Little Prince" or "The Hobbit", "Tribe of Star Bear" transcends all age groups to speak to the heart. Congratulations to Ms. Mihalyi to a wonderful first book!

exactly what a young reader is looking for...

I have found myself spellbound in the wonderful tale wove by Vicki Mihalyi. What part, you ask, is captivating me? Yet, the multidimensional aspects have me unable to select one aspect to laud above another. I wish to first recommend this novel to all educators and parents of younger women and older girls - here is the stuff that fills the niche we all know is void. I am struck by the compassion and sensitivity to the needs of all readers. And most of all, that the young female audience will feel encouraged and respected which is very different than catered too. Secondly, I recommend this novel as the impetus and support for a sustainability and environmental curriculum and pedagogy. There are extensive curriculum links available across the curriculum from this novel; plentiful, indeed. And from a reader perspective, I was gripping my pillow - what a suspense-filled tale of surviving and resisting ickyness. Of a group pulling together, of a community struggling to realize what should be over what is enforced... or something like this. I overheard a few other educators at a local Toronto bookstore discuss the availability of this novel in a multifaceted classroom (ok, so I have an educator bias) especially for the young female reader. My highest recommendation comes from what I received from 'Tribe of the Star Bear' which is a message of importance unparalleled. I firmly believe in our duty as members of this human community to understand our place and our responsibilities as one of many species sharing this wonderful planet. Thanks to Vicki Mihalyi for penning the Tribe of the Star Bear . Christy Fedirchuk visual arts and biology, Toronto district

At the end of the rainbow, a Tribe of gold . . .

My daughter received "Tribe of Star Bear" for her twelfth birthday, read it in two days and has talked of little else since. Curiosity got the better of me, and while I'm not in the habit of reading children's literature I spent a most delightful Sunday with this book.The author deftly weaves Hopi Indian mythology and modern-day practicality into a story that is exciting, colorful and quite frequently packed with suspense. And without ever resorting to "preaching" Ms Mihalyi has created a subtle parable of love, cooperation and understanding between some very unusual and disparate characters.One of the most captivating qualities of this book is the author's ability to "humanize" her animal characters, both in thought and, equally important, in mannerisms. First of all, this tends to create a more substantial and understandable relationship between Amber (a little girl, the only true human in the story) and Bohadea (a black bear), Olli (a red squirrel) and Almedon (a golden eagle). It also allows the reader to more easily relate to the action as it unfolds. The communication between these individuals, and their relationships to one another, emerge as altogether natural, rather than existing on a "fairy tale" plain.As the story unfolds these Warriors of the Rainbow become increasingly dependent on one another in a manner not unlike that so frequently experienced in the adult world. I suppose a grown-up might tend to read a great deal into this. But in the case of my daughter, she read the book simply for the sheer joy of a well-written adventure that sparked the imagination and ultimately gave my young reader some honest food for thought.I am unfamiliar with Ms Mihalyi's work, but since there was no mention of previous books in the jacket notes I surmise this is her first. I certainly hope it won't be her last. Both my child and my inner child are hungry for more.