illustrated and retold by ruth sanderson
This imaginative tale by Sanderson was formed from two distinct stories woven together; the Chinese story “The Magic Brocade”, and the Norwegian tale “The Princess on the glass hill”. A talented weaver, named Anna, dreams of a fair and distant land then weaves a tapestry to remember it by. The tapestry is so incredibly beautiful that fairies steal it to make a copy. The weaver begs her three sons to return her precious tapestry to her. The eldest two sons, first Leon and then Blaine, travel to find their mother’s tapestry. The hermit they both meet tells them of the hard journey ahead and gives them each a bag of gold. While the eldest two sons waste all their gold, the youngest, Perrin, receives a silver whistle that brings help to him on the journey, he is able to bring back his mother’s tapestry, which, in turn, brings some magic to his family. Children will find this book intriguing and magical, while teachers and educators can teach lessons about perceptions, dedication and seeking help.
Category: Folklore/Fairytale. 1999, Little, Brown and Company, $15.95. Ages 8-12.
Kelsey Means