The Indian in the Cupboard

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks, 1980 Avon Publishing

     When Omri receives an old cupboard for his birthday he is surprised by the cupboard's magic. Using an old key, Omri brings to life a miniature Iroquois Indian figurine. The Indian, Little Bear, is disappointed to be in Omri's world and becomes demanding, but he and Omri become friends.
     Omri shows his best friend, Patrick, the magic cupboard and Patrick wants to bring one of his figurines to life. He brings Boone, a cowboy from the old west, to life and the bickering between cowboys and Indians becomes more than a social memory.
     However, Omri refuses to turn Boone back to plastic until it is nearly too late. Little Bear shoots him with an arrow and the little man nearly dies. After some scrambling Boon survives, but it is some time before the men trust each other.
     With the power of life and death in his hands, Omri faces some difficult choices. He learns the value of friendship and the 'softer feelings' his older brother teases him about. From wanting everything to turn out how he imagines to understanding the responsibility for doing what's right or best for a friend, Omri learns much from his miniature companions.