CALL IT COURAGE

From AudioFile
Ever since his mother was killed in a hurricane, Mafatu, the son of the Great Chief of the people of Hikueru, an island in the southern Pacific ocean, has feared that Moana, the Sea God, would kill him, too. Tired of being called a coward and saddened by the shame he has brought his father, 12-year-old Mafatu decides to face and conquer Moana on his own. Phillips gives this Newbery Medal classic adventure tale an outstanding performance. He so effectively develops the character of the boy that listeners feel Mafatu's terror and fierce determination to overcome his fear as he faces a monstrous storm, survives on an island, kills a shark and escapes from "eaters of men." Sound effects enhance the narration. The soft, rhythmic beating of the man-eaters' drums heightens the terror of their pursuit. A classic example of the power of audio to enhance a beautifully told story. C.R.A. Winner of AUDIOFILE's Earphones Award. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Review
New York Herald Tribune "A boy's character at ten years old is more often influenced by emotion than by reasoning. Something in the conduct of a hero leaps like a spark to light his own spirit. A book with a hero can sometimes bring this about. This is such a book.... It is related with unusual skill, carrying along a reader so rapidly he scarecely realizes how well it is being told... The story is wild enough to be remembered, and it cannot be remembered without doing good."


Book Description
Mafatu's name means "Stout Heart," but his people call him a coward. Ever since the sea took his mother's life and spared his own, he has lived with deep fear. And even though his father is the Great Chief of Hikueru--an island whose seafaring people worship courage--he is terrified, and consequently, he is severely scorned.By the time he is fifteen years old, Mafatu can bear it no longer. He must conquer his fear alone. . . even if it means certain death.This classic tale of a young boy's hidden strength has been a favorite of readers of all ages since its 1940 publication--now this exclusive audio preserves its original poignancy and splendor, and brings Mafatu to life for future generations of listeners.Highlights of Lou Diamond Phillips's film credits include Courage Under Fire, Young Guns II, Stand and Deliver, and La Bamba. An accomplished stage actor, he starred in the critically acclaimed Broadway revival of The King and I.


Card catalog description
Relates how Mafatu, a young Polynesian boy whose name means Stout Heart, overcomes his terrible fear of the sea and proves his courage to himself and his people.


Simon & Schuster
Maftu was afraid of the sea. It had taken his mother when he was a baby, and it seemed to him that the sea gods sought vengeance at having been cheated of Mafatu. So, though he was the son of the Great Chief of Hikueru, a race of Polynesians who worshipped courage, and he was named Stout Heart, he feared and avoided tha sea, till everyone branded him a coward. When he could no longer bear their taunts and jibes, he determined to conquer that fear or be conquered-- so he went off in his canoe, alone except for his little dog and pet albatross. A storm gave him his first challenge. Then days on a desert island found him resourceful beyond his own expectation. This is the story of how his courage grew and how he finally returned home. This is a legend. It happened many years ago, but even today the people of Hikueru sing this story and tell it over their evening fires.END


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Mafatu, Stout Heart, is terrified of the sea, which surrounds his Polynesian home. Driven by shame and isolation, he undertakes a voyage to test himself against the sea and his own fears. George Guidall catches the rhythm of the storyteller. For the most part, he reads in a clear, measured manner, but his delivery becomes more intense and rapid as Mafatu fights for his life in a hurricane and pits himself against a deadly octopus. When Mafatu triumphs, Guidall relaxes into broad, celebratory tones and sings Mafatu�s paeans in full voice. Armstrong Sperry�s Newbery Award-winning story as masterfully presented by George Guidall recounts a hero�s personal journey and serves as an inspiring chart to a passage on the high seas of life. L.R.S. �AudioFile, Portland, Maine


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