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Children's Book ReviewsPage Two of TwoThe Hobbit, A 3-D Pop-Up Adventure by J.R.R. Tolkien, Illustrated by John HoweHarperFestival, 1999Hardcover, 10 pages Ages 4-8 ISBN: 0694014362. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic,
The Hobbit, will thrill to see this beautifully
rendered pop-up edition of the story. The book
opens with the infamous tea party at Bilbo Baggins'
comfortable hobbit hole, in which Gandalf the wizard
(who pops out of the front door when the latch is
opened) arranges for a treasure hunting expedition
with the dwarves and a reluctant Bilbo. A pull-out
card with text give the flavor of the scene, as the
dwarves call out their orders of food to a
confused Bilbo, who is not at all sure he likes
the sound of adventures, dragons and gold. There
are five, two-sided pop-up pages in the book.
In addition to the tea party scene, the book
also showcases Bilbo's meeting under the
mountains with the slimy Gollum, his battle with
the spiders in the forests of Mirkwood,
his encounter with the mighty dragon,
Smaug, and the Battle of the Five Armies
which is the climax of the tale. The illustrations
are superb, with beautiful shadings and colors,
and intricate detail. This is a must-have for
any Tolkien-lover, and for children who
are just making their acquaintance with
the enduring classic that is The Hobbit.
Morning, Noon and Night by Jean Craighead George, Paintings by Wendel MinorHarperCollins, 1999.Hardcover, 32 pages Ages 4-8 ISBN: 0060236280. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Jean Craighead George, author of over eighty
children's books, including the Newberry
Medal-winning
Julie of the Wolves,
celebrates the cycle of morning, noon to
night as observed by animals found across the United States,
from Maine to California. The book begins
with the phrase, "Good morning,
the dawn, when the earth is turning from night to
day and waking begins," which is beautifully
illustrated in vibrant oranges, greens and browns
showing a dolphin observing the sunrise over the
land and the last beams of the lighthouse over a
nearby promontory. Animals such as the stork and
the cardinal stretch and sing to greet the day.
As the sun comes up, work begins for the oxen,
the eagle, and the bees. As the day progresses
we see the activities of different animals, until
at last it is evening again, and the owlet sings,
"Who, the night, Who, Who?" The story
ends with the beginning of yet another day.
The wildlife paintings by Wendell Minor are vivid, colorful and perfectly complement the lyrical quality of George's writing. The book will be visually appealing to children, and is an excellent aide for teaching them about the cycle of our own days, as well as the habits of animals in the wild and on the farms. Sir Stalwart: Book One of The King's Daggers by Dave DuncanAvon, Nov., 1999.Paperback, 256 pages Young Adult ISBN: 0380800985. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Bestselling fantasy novelist Dave Duncan
mines his popular King's Blades series
to create a spin-off, young adult series called
The King's Daggers. Sir Stalwart is the youngest and
the smallest of
the senior class at the Ironhall academy,
but he is also the fastest runner and a fantastic swordsman.
From the senior class, the next
group of boys will be chosen to be a member of the
of the King's Blades, that elite group of
swordsmen sworn to service of the King, in an ancient and magical ceremony.
Sir Stalwart, known by the unfortunate nickname
of Wart to his fellow students, gets publicly expelled from
Ironhall before he can officially become a King's Blade.
But there is more to Stalwart's expulsion than meets the eye, and soon the
former student is swept up in a maelstrom of danger, intrigue and
adventure. With Emerald, a young woman who has just been
expelled from the order of the White Sisters,
(the order that can sniff out magic and are
used to detect sorcery), Stalwart must stop an assassination plot against
the king and foil those who would destroy the kingdom with
evil magic.
Sir Stalwart is classic Dave Duncan: breathtakingly exciting with vivid characters and a fast-moving plot. We also get some fascinating background material about the training of the White Sisters and the role of the King's Blades in the Monster War. Written for the young adult market, the King's Daggers books are shorter than those in the King's Blades series, and are somewhat simplified as to the reading level. But the excitement, interesting plot, and intriguing and dangerous world of Chivial are still here, and the only complaint readers will have is that the story ended too soon. Highly recommended. Children's Book Reviews Page One | Page Two Return to Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of children's books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |