From Publishers Weekly
In a starred review, PW called this tale of a minstrel who discovers an unusual egg "captivating" and "timeless," and, combined with Clark's Piero della Francesca-inspired artwork, "a truly elegant package." Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4-- In this elegant picture-book fantasy, a dragon's abandoned egg is awakened to life by a minstrel's song. The young creature and the solitary young man become true friends, until the dragon pup is abducted by an evil traveling showman. In the end, they are happily reunited, and an ailing prince has been miraculously healed as well. Sutcliff has taken folkloric elements and made them into a tale that seems both timeless and fresh. She claims to know the real truth about dragons, and provides readers with enchanting variations on familiar details. Clark's glowing oil pastels truly illuminate the telling. This is a land that seems commonplace yet exotic: there are castles, inns, . . . and palm trees. The dark borders enhance the ceremonial, formal tone. Even the page layouts help express the story's nuances: small intense pictures show the hasty abduction, while a luxurious double-page spread depicts the love between the minstrel and the dragon. All in all, this is a remarkable collaboration that sophisticated readers will take to right away. It may need to be introduced to children who are not used to a graceful pace and literary style, but the effort will certainly be worthwhile, and all youngsters are sure to respond to the book's beauty and emotional power. --Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
