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Library | Material Type | Item Barcode | Shelf Number | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library | Juvenile Picture Book Hardback | 120791000344361 | YHBA 1995 J P SAN | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library | Juvenile Picture Book Hardback | 120791000344375 | YHBA 1995 J P SAN | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
A widowed and grief-stricken king calls on his three sons to end the drought that has ravaged the kingdom. The princes eagerly accept the quest to find the Heart of the World, which, once found, will save the land. One by one each prince confidently enters the Enchanted Wood.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-- With magnificent oil paintings that flow like one perfect canvas, Sanderson creates a mystical, enchanting world that brings this tale to heightened glory. When the queen of the land dies, the kingdom suffers a terrible drought that can only be ended by finding the Heart of the World in the Enchanted Wood. Although the king has three sons, it is the youngest of them, Galen, who succeeds on this perilous mission by staying true to the quest when the others are tempted away. Rose, the brunette maiden who accompanies him, proclaims him pure of heart, and they marry. The beauty of this narrative is its unpredictable style; there is a freshness that invigorates the many traditional fairy tale components and familiar themes. The breathtaking, richly colored illustrations create the medieval setting through which the story slowly unfolds. Although this is billed as an original fairy tale, it is similar in style to Margaret Hodges's retellings of classic tales, legends, and myths. A title to be read and savored. --Debra S. Gold, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Written in plain yet stately prose, this is an original fairy tale about three brothers and their quest. The aging king has promised his throne to the son who can deliver the kingdom from a terrible drought by discovering the Heart of the World, which lies within the dangerous Enchanted Wood. Each of the brothers sets out on the journey, but--in true fairy tale style--only the youngest son is pure enough of heart not to swerve from his noble purpose. Is it love that brings the young prince to the Heart of the World and thus to the end of his kingdom's troubles, or is it at last finding the magical place? The climactic scene where he arrives at his destination is not especially dramatic, yet this engaging story does bring magic, adventure and a hint of romance to young readers. As in Sanderson's The Twelve Dancing Princesses , her characters have oddly contemporary faces. That minor cavil aside, her art is exquisite--restrained in palette, naturalistic in style and rich in tone. Ages 5-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
In a lavishly illustrated tale the third and youngest brother must rescue his father's kingdom after his two older brothers succumb to enchantments. Mundane use of many folkloric elements coupled with uninspired writing make this a mediocre story. From HORN BOOK 1991, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The pattern is traditional, the outcome shaped by current convention: three brothers quest for the ``Heart of the World''; only the third is generous along the way and also sticks to the appointed path despite temptation, thus winning his father's throne and the affection of the girl whose help he has accepted. As in Wisniewski's The Warrior and the Wise Man (1989), the other brothers concede graciously. The telling is smooth, but no more inspired than the story; the meticulous paintings depict a medieval fantasy world in loving detail, but are not especially imaginative. A sumptuous-looking effort that disappoints on closer examination. (Picture book. 4-10)