Last Snake Runner

KLIATT

Kendall, age 14, treasures his Native American heritage. His beloved great-grandfather had taught him the ancient Acoma tribal ways and the Keresan language, and when the old man died Kendall became the last living member of the Snake Clan. Kendall also mourns the death of his mother, and when his father remarries and his new wife displays pride in her Spanish conquistador heritage—though they were the enemies of his Acoma ancestors—Kendall is infuriated. He takes off for the reservation, and while exploring a crevice in the mesa he finds that he has somehow traveled through time, back hundreds of years to when his ancestors lived there and the conquistadors first came into the area. He is befriended by a young Acoma Indian and his beautiful sister, and becomes part of the tribe, participating in the ancient, dangerous snake dance ceremony, which involves capturing and dancing with live rattlers. When the conquistadors arrive, demanding food, a terrible massacre ensues and Kendall witnesses the subjugation, enslavement, and horrific amputations inflicted on what remains of his tribe. He returns to his own time at last, sadder and wiser, reconciled to the changes in his life. This sequel to Enchanted Runner can stand on its own, and the carefully researched details of Kendall's time with the Acoma, the snake dance, and the battle with the conquistadors in 1599 (further explained in an Author's Note at the end) will captivate readers who like historical fiction, gruesome details of violent deaths and amputations notwithstanding. Kendall's bravery, his love of running, and his respect for tradition come through clearly, and this dramatic story will inform and enthrall YAs. KLIATTCodes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2002, Random House, Knopf, 202p.,
— Paula Rohrlick

VOYA

Coping with a parent's remarriage can be traumatic, even more troubling if the new Spanish spouse symbolizes a culturally abhorrent episode in history. Meet ninth-grader Kendall, an Acoma Native American from New Mexico. Steeped in traditions formerly kept alive by his deceased grandfather and mother, Kendall runs away when confronted with his father's remarriage. A desert run morphs into time-travel, as Kendall finds himself in a moment when Acoma thrived, moments before missionaries and conquistadors virtually eliminated hope for future generations. Little paints friendships, landscapes, and traditions in memorable detail. Working from historical documents chronicling a siege against the Acoma pueblo in 1599, she relates the demise of the Clan of Snake Runners. In its aftermath, the remaining children were sent to religious schools; women were forced into twenty years of servitude; and men, following the dramatic and horrific amputation of one foot, were sentenced to servitude. With dissection and mutilation of family, the once-proud clan declined. Time travel serves to help Kendall better understand his mother's heritage and troubling events often neglected in history texts. Although the last chapter's abrupt wrap-up might bother some readers, this historical fiction could be useful and beneficial in integrated middle school social studies/language arts curriculum. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2002, Knopf, 202p,
— Patti Sylvester Spencer

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-A sequel to Enchanted Runner (Avon, 1999), this book stands on its own as a work of historical fiction and a time-travel story. Kendall, 14, has rediscovered his Native American roots in New Mexico at the Acoma Pueblo, ancestral home of his mother's family. He is the last of the Snake Clan, a long line of warriors and mystics responsible for carrying out the yearly ceremonies that propitiate the gods and bring rain. In his modern existence, he is struggling to deal with the death of his mother. When his father remarries, the teen cannot accept the woman, and he flees into the desert. Transported back to 1598, he becomes part of the vibrant life of the Acoma people, who live on a mesa and farm the surrounding land. The tribe's interaction with a group of Spaniards outfitted in armor results in tragic and devastating consequences, with Kendall a participant, witness, and one of the few survivors. The violence and brutality are powerfully portrayed in this action-filled story. Details of everyday life on the mesa and the people's strong spiritual connection to the land are what make this book stand apart from many other time-travel stories. An author's note explains that the historical events described are based on an eyewitness account by one of the Spanish soldiers. The novel succeeds as a fast-paced adventure and as a meditation on the consequences of a clash of dissimilar cultures.-David Pauli, Hillsboro Public Library, OR Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.