Soonchild: Book summary and reviews of Soonchild by Russell Hoban

Soonchild Summary

In the cold north where the white wind blows lives Sixteen-Face John, a shaman. His wife is expecting their first child - a "soonchild." But Soonchild won't come out! So John sets out to find the World Songs that inspire all soonchildren to leave the womb. Along the way, he must shift shape and size, converse with animals and ancestors, and face demons and death. But he also pursues an elusive golden-eyed presence that hints at a connection with his past.

This breathtaking novel, as exciting as it is spooky, is a lyrical tribute to the forces of nature, magic, and family.

Ages 14+

Soonchild Reviews

"Starred Review. Hoban fearlessly tackles the big questions: the distinction between the real and the unreal, the nature of courage, and the debt humans owe the dead and the unborn. Ages 14+" - Publishers Weekly

"A lyrically beautiful existential fable, unfortunately based on paternalistic and romanticized notions about Native peoples. Ages 10+" - Kirkus Reviews

"Starred Review. It's sort of a legend and sort of contemporary, it's both playful and challenging, and it's equally profound and offhandedly glib... Deacon's contributions to the story begin as a few pieces of spot art scattered about the periphery, which then become more integrated and even include pages-long sequences that carry just as much weight and wit as the narrative. Together, they weave a funny and wise tale that will echo with readers for a long time." - Booklist

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Russell Hoban (1925–2011) once described himself as "an addict to writing" and wrote more than fifty books for children, including such classics as Bedtime for Frances, How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen, and The Sea-Thing Child. He was also the author of many acclaimed novels for adults, including Turtle Diary and Riddley Walker.

Alexis Deacon created the acclaimed picture books Slow Loris, Beegu, and While You Are Sleeping and has twice been short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal.