The Indian in the Cupboard

For the film based on the book, see The Indian in the Cupboard (film).

The Indian in the Cupboard
First edition (UK)
AuthorLynne Reid Banks
IllustratorRobin Jacques (UK)
Brock Cole (US)
LanguageEnglish
SeriesIndian in the Cupboard
GenreChildren's fantasy
PublisherJ. M. Dent (UK)
Doubleday and Company (US)
Publication date
1980
Publication placeUnited Kingdom[clarification needed]
ISBN978-0-380-60012-0
OCLC8878954
Followed byThe Return of the Indian 

The Indian in the Cupboard is a low fantasy children's novel by the British writer Lynne Reid Banks. It was published in 1980 with illustrations by Robin Jacques (UK) and Brock Cole (US). It was later adapted as a 1995 children's film of the same name. Later books in the series were illustrated by Piers Sanford.[1]

The original book was followed by four sequels: The Return of the Indian (1985); The Secret of the Indian (1989); The Mystery of the Cupboard (1993); and The Key to the Indian (1998). All were published by Doubleday Books in hardcover, then by Avon Books, now HarperCollins, in paperback.[citation needed] There have been multiple reprints in various formats, including movie tie-in editions. The publisher recommended reading level is age nine and up.[2]

All the books revolve around a young boy, Omri, who discovers the powers of a magical cupboard. When plastic toys are locked in the cupboard, they become real, living beings, resulting in Omri befriending an 18th-century Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) chief named Little Bear (Little Bull in some editions). As the series progresses, Omri and his friend Patrick learn more about the cupboard's powers, including its ability to transport people to and fro through history.

The book has received numerous awards and been both critiqued and praised on its literary merit, and had once been recommended reading in school curriculum.[3] In a review of the first book of the series, Kirkus Reviews observed, "The first book had a fine balance between childish desire to play with the tiny figures and awareness that, though small, they were real people who ought not to be so manipulated."[4] The book was reviewed in the 1981 New York Times article "BOOKS: Best For Children" where it was called "the best novel of the year".[5][6] At one time, classrooms and libraries widely accepted the book,[7] to the point that it was part of the teaching curricula for children at the novel's recommend reading level.[8][9] In 2003 and 2004, HarperTrophy reprinted the original book, along with the other four novels in the series, and commissioned Michael Koelsch to illustrate new cover artworks.[10][11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference w1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference v1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "The Indian in the Cupboard Novel Study Book Unit". Teachers Pay Teachers. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference kirkus2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Books: Best for Children". The New York Times. 1 December 1981. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  6. ^ Banks, Lynne Reid (20 June 2015). The Indian in the Cupboard. Harper Collins. ISBN 9780380600120. Archived from the original on 20 June 2015.
  7. ^ MacInnes, Angela (n.d.). "The Indian in the Cupboard: A 5 th Grade Literacy Focus Unit" (PDF). Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Lynn Reid Banks". Novelinks. (english.byu.edu). Archived 26 December 2009. Retrieved 2014-08-28. With The Indian in the Cupboard Novel Information and Resources.
  9. ^ Denny, Phillip. A Guide for Using The Indian in the Cupboard in the Classroom. New York: Teacher Created Resources. 1995.
  10. ^ Lynne, Reid Banks (2003). "The Indian in the Cupboard" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  11. ^ The Mystery of the Cupboard. Paw Prints. 2008. ISBN 978-1-4395-5343-5.