Kokopelli's Flute

In the moonlight of a total eclipse, young Tepary Jones's first lunar eclipse, a tragedy occurred. The last untouched Indian site was being robbed of priceless pottery. Two pothunters had come to rob the picture house. Though suspicious, Tep undertakes to run them off. The superstitious pothunters are easily driven away. After an owl hoot, Tep lit a tumbleweed and dropped it over the cliff, causing it to burn away in the air sending them running. When he took a closer look at the dig, he found a basket containing ancient medicine and an eagle bone flute. Though he knew better, Tep put the flute to his lips and blew one magical note. He laughed, watching a wood rat coming to hear the music. The next morning the famous Mr. K, a secret botanist, sent another package containing once again beans for the seed farm. Among the package of beans were also strange types of gourd that will become life saving in the future. After a hard day's work planting the seeds, Tep goes back to his room to bed and watches his pet opossum come through a hole in the roof. As the sun goes down Tep feels funny, looks at his hands and comprehends he has turned into a wood rat. Remembering that Wood rats are an opossum's main diet, Tep was almost eaten by his pet. Tep's inquisitive single note on the eagle bone flute had turned him into the rat by night.An epidemic virus that is carried by pack rats and crossed transmitted to humans who die from the virus is sweeping the desert. The only cure for the virus is the medicine Tep found in the ancient basket. Tep, being a wood rat in size, is unable to retrieve the medicine. Taking the flute from the basket in desperation, Tep breaks the code with three blows on the flute and returns to human form. This allows him to carry the medicine back and save the day. Kokopelli's Flute, named for the one Tep found in the basket, is a twisted story of heroism. I found the story enchantingly good. I recommend this book.

Kokopelli's Flute is a wonderful book. That is why I gave it five stars. It is about a boy named Tepary who loves the ancient Native Americans and ancient artifacts. One day he found out much more than he ever knew about the Native Americans secrets. It is a very exciting book with many true facts about the Southwest, desert animals, and the Southwest Native Americans. Yet, it is a mystical magical book that everyone should read.

I think everyone should read it! This book is about a boy named Teparary Jones that went to the picture house. When he was in it he saw some robbers that were taking things. They had dropped a bone flute of Kokopelli's. He didn't play it because it had Kokopelli's spell on it. You should read this book! Alex Jize, 5th grade

Vision quest for 1990s teens near puberty! An interesting book to read to my eight year old. Sounds like the author read a fair amount of Castaneda. Can you take seriously a book in which the protagonist spends about a quarter of the book as a pack-rat? Apparently the author can and did a pretty good job of convincing me to also. Includes some well-done environmental and interpersonal themes and made me check a few of the author's other books out of the library for my son. I would recommend parental interpretation especially for younger or more impressionable kids.

Following the changling adventures of Tepary Jones and his wonderdog offers more than entertainment. The adventures also give wonderful insights into the importance of species diversity, the insidiousness of poaching, and respect for cultures and different ways of thinking. Will Hobbs is an excellent storyteller whose own interests in natural history play an essential role in his integration of adventure and environmental issues--especially for those in the southwest.