The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks


Here’s a book jot from September 2021:

I finished reading The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (1980). It’s a children’s novel that takes place in contemporary Britain. The story revolves around an old medicine cabinet and antique key. When used together, they impart a magic that turns small plastic toys into living beings. The main character Omri and his friend Patrick soon learn that the miniature beings are real people with real lives.

The author does a good job showing how Omri and Patrick must realize that, once brought to life, the figures previously only plastic are now no longer toys to be played with but living individuals to be respected. A similar process happens between two of the figures brought to life who are initially separated by culture and animosity.

There’s also some fun and exciting adventure along the way. The novelty of the size difference between the characters is not overdone. The details that are included, like grass clippings from the yard for Little Bull’s pony, provide a sense of reality and get one’s imagination churning.