Newbery Medal-winning author Robin McKinley has created a magical fairy story collection with The Door in the Hedge. Four separate tales comprise this volume, two original: "The Stolen Princess", a story with a foundling theme, "The Hunting of the Hind", a story of love and enchantment, and two retellings: "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" and "The Princess and the Frog". The retold tales are as fresh and vibrant as her original stories. Her writing is superb. We only wish that she published more frequently! (ages 12 and up, hc)

In Stand Up, Mr. Dickens, A Dickens Anthology, British writer Edward Blishen has chosen excerpts from Dickens best-known works, prefacing each with a brief introduction. Blishen makes Dickens, his time, and his writings come alive, much as the great writer himself did when he read from his works. It is said that while reading from only one book, Dickens could impersonate twenty-three different characters, using different voice and hand movements for each. As an incomparable introduction to the writings of Charles Dickens, or as an insight into the way the author brought his own experiences to his stories, this volume will be a valuable addition to any collection. (ages 10 and up, hc)

Fans of author Margaret Mahy who read Tingleberries, Tuckertubs and Telephones expecting a riotous, rip-roaring adventure will not be disappointed. Filled with zany characters and outrageous plot twists, its hero is an orphan so shy that he refers to himself as "a limp lettuce leaf in the great salad of life." Wrenched from his secluded existence by his grandmother's (the former detective inspector's) departure to pursue the pirate Grudge-Gallows. Young recluse Saracen is thrilled when the tingleberry plants Granny sends him from Antarctica thrive, their success ultimately brings him wealth, adventure, and true love. Fewer than one hundred pages, but packed with thrills and laughs, this is a wild and wacky read. (ages 8-12, hc)

Alice Low, noted for her fine anthologies, has compiled twenty stories just right for sharing with a five-year-old. Folk and fairy tales, a fable, excerpts from longer works, and contemporary stories are divided into "Stories of Magic and Adventure" and "Stories of You and Me." A terrific volume for traveling or just to have about the house, with Stories to Tell a 5-Year-Old you will never be at a loss for something to read aloud. (pb)

Maxine Rose Schur tells the dramatic and powerful story of one family's journey from their home in Ethiopia to a new home in Israel. Ethiopian Jews have lived in the mountains of that country for thousands of years, clinging faithfully to their religious heritage and consoled with the prophecy of a return to Israel. Although leaving Ethiopia was punishable by torture or death, the devastating famine which began in 1984 led thousands of Ethiopian Jews to flee to refugee camps in Sudan. A daring secret airlift brought many thousands of Jews to Israel. When I Left My Village is the very personal, very real story of a family's determination, faith, and courage as they make their way to their Promised Land. Although the publisher suggests this for children from 6 to 10 years, we believe it is also appropriate for older children, and would spark healthy discussions of world affairs. (hc)

[ Up ] [ Page 2 ] [ Page 3 ] [ Page 4 ] [ Page 5 ]