The Enchanted Wood

by Ruth Sanderson

Overview

Winner of the Young Hoosier Award and the Bank Street College Award. Three princes go on a quest to the Heart of the World to save their drought-ravaged kingdom. 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. This beautifully illustrated, original fairytale is filled with romance, magic, and adventure and will appeal to readers of all ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781566560573
Publisher:	Interlink Publishing Group, Incorporated
Publication date:	07/10/2016
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

Editorial Reviews

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.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Stunning in their detail and richness, the scenes and people depicted in this fairy tale look so real you feel as if you could reach out and touch them. After the beloved queen dies the land seems to die also. In order to save the kingdom, the three princes set out on a quest to find the Heart of the World. The youngest succeeds because he stays true to his purpose.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Three sons of a kind, but ailing king set out to find the treasure which will restore the beauty and health of his kingdom. That only one, the youngest, succeeds, will surprise no one. The interest here is that the youngest son's success is due in equal parts to his love for his brothers and his female assistant. Gorgeous oil paintings illustrate this original fairy tale. 1995 (orig.

Children's Literature - Judy Katsh

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

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