This book has been reviewed by Thriving Family, a marriage and parenting magazine published by Focus on the Family.
This book has been reviewed by Thriving Family, a marriage and parenting magazine published by Focus on the Family.
Om-Kas-Toe is an American Indian boy in the Blackfeet tribe during the early 1700s. Om has a twin sister who is almost left to die at birth, since the tribe believes twins bring bad luck. Their mother, Tall Woman, begs the leaders to let her raise both children. She promises to work extra hard to ensure their presence will not be a burden. One leader, Old Man, champions her cause, and both children are allowed to live.
As years pass, the twins become a sign of the Above One’s providence for the tribe rather than a curse. Om finds a pet raven that follows him faithfully. Legend says this type of bird brings good luck, and the tribesmen are pleased. Om’s raven, Wise Bird, ends up leading Om to a lost baby, protecting him from enemy warriors and guiding him to food that sustains the Blackfeet during a time of starvation.
When Om sees enemy warriors riding amazing, beautiful creatures, he returns home and tells the tribe about the elkdogs. The tribesmen aren’t sure whether to believe him, until the day he and Twin Sister find one and bring it to the camp. The elkdog, or horse, astounds the people. They eventually capture more, and the tribe begins to see how these animals can change their tribe’s methods of hunting, carrying, traveling, working and fighting enemies.
During this time in his life, Om learns many things about hunting, combat and how to navigate the world around him. While spying on a particularly dangerous enemy tribe, he captures one warrior’s black elkdog. The horse, Big Black, carries the delirious boy home after Om spends many days lost without food or sleep. The tribe rejoices at his miraculous return. When Old Man is near death, he praises Tall Woman for her great love for her children. He talks about the good fortune the Above One brought to the tribe through Om and his sister.
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Members of the Blackfeet tribe credit the Above One, as well as luck, for the good things that happen. They believe in the healing powers and miraculous abilities of the medicine man. They trust in signs and prophetic dreams.
Om’s mother, Tall Woman, fights to keep both of her children by promising the leaders of the tribe she will work hard. Om’s father teaches him how to be a wise warrior. An old tribal leader takes Tall Woman’s side when she pleads for the lives of her twins.
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