My Name Is Pocahontas

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

``My name is Pocahontas,''comma per eed begins this picture book interpretation of a near mythic Native American's life. Though sculptor/designer Accorsi's lustrous, primitive paintings have considerable child appeal, the accompanying text is often wordy, artificial (`` `But no, wait! They intend to kill him!' '') and sentimental (``Today, Pocahontas, the `first lady' of Native Americans, is remembered for her kindness and love for all people''). Younger elementary school kids might find enough information for reports here--the salient particulars are included--yet the first-person narrative might give the impression of reading an actual autobiography. The book's design also limits its usefulness: the text is too long and the typeface too dark for a harmonious package; it overpowers the open, light-toned illustrations. Though many more books are needed on Native American history, this one misses the mark. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-- Pocahontas narrates the story of her life in this fictionalized biography. Beginning with her early years as a princess, through her friendship with John Smith and concluding with her voyage to England as the wife of John Rolfe, Accorsi skims over the life of this fascinating woman without engaging readers emotionally. The text is occasionally choppy, and the present-tense narrative adds to the awkwardness. The colorful folk-art illustrations provide some of the allure that the text lacks. Accorsi's patchwork rivers and frondlike trees are enchanting, and they evoke the Native American's unity with the natural world. The very cheerfulness of the pictures, however, overrides the drama of events in Pocahontas's life. The D'Aulaires' more realistic Pocahontas (Doubleday, 1985) is for a slightly older audience but creates a greater empathy for the character and a better understanding of the times in which she lived. Carol Greene's Pocahontas (Childrens, 1988) is adequate but uninspired. While not without flaws, Accorsi's book may fill a need for those wanting additional biographies for primary-grade children. --Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, TX