Children's Book Reviews
Page Two of TwoNobody Rides the Unicorn by Adrian Mitchell, Illustrated by Stephen Lambert
Arthur Levine Books, April 2000.Picture Book, 32 pages
Ages 4-8
ISBN: 0439112044.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
In the faraway land of Joppardy, the evil king
is paranoid that someone was trying to assassinate him.
An equally evil doctor tells the king that he must drink from
a goblet made of a unicorn's horn, and eat with
utensils made from a unicorn's horn. So the king
tricks the beggar girl Zoe into trapping the unicorn for him.
Zoe has a golden voice, and sings to the unicorn in the forest:
"Nobody rides the unicorn, he grazes under a secret sun,
his understanding is so great that he forgives us,
every one." The unicorn comes and lays his head in
her lap. The king captures the unicorn and
ties him to a tree in preparation for removing its horn.
Appalled that she had been so cruelly tricked, Zoe defies
the king and releases the unicorn, for which act she
is banished. But Zoe finds her friend the unicorn, and
is allowed to ride the unicorn (she's a Nobody, after all)
into the secret valley where the unicorns dwell.
The story of a small girl who defies a king to do what is right is a touching one. Stephen Lambert's paintings are soft, dark and ethereal, and perfectly match the lyrical prose style of the text which is Adrian Mitchell's hallmark. This is a haunting story with a magical feel to it, and is sure to be a particular favorite on young girls' bookshelves.
Millennium Children's History of the 20th Century With CD-Rom
DK Publishing, July 2000.Hardcover, 344 pages
Ages 9-12
ISBN: 0789454750.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
What will you tell your children or grandchildren when
they ask you what it was like to live in the 1900s?
Will you recall the invention of the microchip,
the day President Kennedy was shot or some other
event that changed the course of our history? DK
Publishing has provided an incredible historical
record of the 20th century that is perfect for children
of all ages. This massive reference tells the
story of this past century month by month,
year by year with vivid photographs and
capsule explanations of important events
in our history. Topics such as fashion,
politics, science, natural disasters, pop
culture and wars are all covered for each
decade. In-depth explanations for important
subjects, such as the end of apartheid in
South Africa, are also provided. This version also
comes with a CD-Rom. This exhaustive,
interactive resource cross references events,
people, innovations and news headlines in
an easy to use format. From the heartbreak
of the Holocaust to the international joy when
man first walked on the moon, the last century
is vividly portrayed in this invaluable reference
that no family should be without. Highly recommended.
Children's Book Reviews
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Return to the June 2000 issue of The IWJ.
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