This fifth installment in the Indian in the Cupboard series picks up two days following The Mystery of the Cupboard (1993). Omri and Dad (who has learned the secret of the cupboard) decide to return to Little Bear's time to help the Iroquois chief deal with all the problems caused by the eighteenth-century European settlement. With the help of Jessica Charlotte (who imparts some magic to a new key) and Patrick (who serves as official key turner), the two travel to upstate New York and convince Little Bear to lead the tribe to Canada. They return to discover that Mom has known their secret all along, and they promise, once again, to stop using the magic. Omri's followers probably won't care that this trip could have been handled simply by bringing Little Bear to the present and explaining his options, or that Banks' writing teems with British terms and expressions. Illustrated with grainy black-and-white sketches and a color cover painting that does not match the description in the text; save this one for true series fans. (Reviewed November 15, 1998)

There will certainly be fans who will be delighted to have further adventures of Omri and the plastic Indian that comes to life. Not as fresh as its predecessors, the latest episode is rather convoluted and stretches even the fantasy boundaries the author herself has set up. It's disappointing, also, to have the adventure taken away from the boys, with Omri's parents knowing about, and even participating in, the magic.

Gr 5-7-This fifth installment in the series begins just days after The Mystery of the Cupboard (Morrow, 1993) ends. Omri's father has just found out about the magic cupboard, and he is eager to help Little Bear, with whom the boy's magical adventures began. The British are betraying the 18th-century Iroquois warrior's people, and Little Bear is hoping that Omri and his father can come back in time to counsel him on the best path to take before his whole tribe is wiped out. After careful planning (and after a brief and accidental trip to colonial India), the child and his father travel back to Little Bear's time, where they discover that the situation is more complex and more dangerous than they had thought. This book will be enjoyed by fans of the series. Most of the characters from the previous books make brief appearances. However, this is really Little Bear's story, and Omri's adventures in his longhouse are fascinating and hair-raising. The father-and-son relationship adds a touching dimension to the story, and Omri's deep attachment to Little Bear and his family is made clear. Readers will revel in all of the details of this book, from the intricate workings of the magic to the solutions Omri finds to such problems as how to transport himself, his father, and loads of gear back in time. A satisfying sequel.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library