The Flint Heart [Hardcover]

The Flint Heart is a delightful fantasy, perfect for young readers or as a classroom or family read aloud. It delivers just the right amount of heart, the right amount of scary, and the right amount of wonder to enchant kids and adults alike. Told in a manner reminiscent of classic Winnie the Pooh, the story is beautifully paced and filled with characters that are memorable and most often humorous. The narrator's casual observations and witticisms will bring smiles to the faces of adult readers, while kids will be charmed by the honest, straight forward characters who are all trying so hard to overcome the evil that is the Flint Heart.

I have not read the original version of The Flint Heart which was published in 1910, so I have no way to compare the two. I have a feeling though that quite a bit of the original language was retained in this telling. It has an old fashioned, proper feel that would place it right at home in 1910. How the authors retained that feeling while still making it so accessible to today's young audience is a testament to their storytelling skill. While there are certainly words here that will challenge third and fourth grade readers, they are presented in such a way that kids will no doubt rise to the vocabulary challenge. Parents might have to chime in and explain what a hot water bottle is, but most fantasy fans will find themselves entranced by this delightful and sometimes ridiculous portrayal of fairies, pixies, and woodland life.

The plot is summarized quite ably in the product description, so I will only add my fondness for the morals of this story. The Zagabog, who is the "best, most brilliant, and the wisest creature in the universe" tells a charming rendition of the tortoise and the hare to illustrate the importance of looking at things from other points of view. Throughout the book, as different characters come in contact with The Flint Heart(resulting in much murder and mayhem), the need for kindness, and the importance of being modest and humble is consistently and quite charmingly discussed. Education and cleverness are held in high esteem among these fairies, as evidenced by the hilarious examination of the Jacky Toad, who must prove his cleverness before being allowed back into the Fairy Kingdom. DeQuincey, the pixie poet laureate, bemoans the fate of English prose while engaging in dialogue that is both wonderful and lyrical, something he is of course quite proud of.

Throughout this classic fairy tale, we see Charlie, a boy of twelve, and his little sister Unity. They are wonderful characters whose ability to face the troubles of having a father whose heart suddenly hardens with aplomb and cleverness will certainly engage readers. Their efforts to help the fairy kingdom, a hot water bottle down on his luck, and a decidedly education challenged Jacky Toad speak to the generosity of their spirits. This is a story that deserves a place on the shelf of classics of children's literature.

Finally, I must say that this is simply a beautiful book. The illustrations are works of art and add to the story. I eagerly looked forward to each one and my only complaint is that there weren't more! The heavy, glossy pages, illustrated chapter headings, and silhouettes that run along the sides and bottom only add to the overall beauty of this stylishly produced volume. The large font and good amount of white space combine to make sure this is a book young children will want to pick up. While The Flint Heart has some talk of head splittings, murders and other violence, it is all presented in a way that is not scary, suspenseful, intimidating or otherwise traumatizing to young readers. This is a wonderful children's classic re-told and abridged in a way that will make it relevant to any young reader. Not to be missed

*This item was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I can't remember the last time I've seen such a deluxe children's book as this newest book from Katherine and John Paterson. Imagine heavy, glossy pages, a large type face, lush gold trim swirling around the cover illustrations, and a multitude of rich, magical illustrations by John Rocco throughout the book. See Wolf! Wolf! for another beautiful book by Mr. Rocco.

The story itself is a true fairy tale. There are pixies and fairies and all sorts of tiny talking creatures. There is magic and mystery, kindness and unkindness. The story centers on a small piece of flint, shaped like a heart, that has the magical ability to change a person's personality instantly. No matter how kind or cheerful he may have been, when he holds the flint heart he becomes power-hungry, cruel, and heartless.

Although the tale begins with a humorous episode in England in the Stone Age, it soon moves forward to rural Dartmoor about 100 years ago. A farmer with a large family finds the flint, and his personality is transformed. The rest of the story is the adventures of Charles and Unity, two of the farmer's children, as they try to bring back their beloved father's gentle personality. They need the help of many tiny creatures in the fairy kingdom to achieve their goal.

Parents should know that this is a true old-fashioned fairy tale, originally written in 1910, with dispassionate violence and cruelty to fairies, dogs, and children. In the Stone Age, "Phutt cooly took out his ax and whacked the man on the head, killing him on the spot." Phutt committed other dastardly acts, as did all the others that found the flint heart through the centuries. As Walt Disney used to say, you can't have a good story without a strong villain. Cruella deVille and Captain Hook are each integral parts of their stories.

There is an underlying message in this book about the way greed and power can corrupt personalities, but there are also cheerful, almost nonsensical Lewis Carroll-type places in the book, about the imps and bugaboos and other creatures who help Charles and Unity get rid of the flint heart.

This updated version of the 1910 story of the flint heart, by Eden Phillpotts, is adapted, but in many ways identical to the original. The Paterson adaptation carries the same 1910 feel in style of writing, but John Rocco's glorious artwork in the Patersons' book is richer and much more descriptive than the black and white ink drawings in the original. Phillpotts' original story is available for sale on Amazon, or can be found for free on the internet. The charming, old-fashioned style of writing might be awkward at first, but children should be able to adapt quickly.

I found this book rather intriguing for several reasons. First, the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. I especially appreciate Rocco's use of color as well as the addition of silhouettes. The illustrations in my opinion are the best part of the book. That does not mean, however, that the writing wasn't good. The writing reminded me greatly of Kate DiCamillo's The Magician's Elephant. In other words, the writing was very lyrical and a delight to read. The book's design is superb, with just enough text and illustrations to make reading it a pleasure.

The second thing I found intriguing about this book was the story itself. This is not a fairy tale that I have heard before so I was interested to see how the story played out. The story itself kind of meanders. It is not really compelling so much as thought-provoking. Like most fairy tales, there is definitely a message here about leadership and wisdom versus greed and hunger for power. I think the book would be enjoyable for the right kind of reader, a more thoughtful reader. Quite a few kids might pick it up because of the gorgeous cover, but I wonder how many would actually finish it. On the other hand, the book would make for some very interesting discussions as a read-a-loud.