the wonderful happens by Cynthia Rylant (2000) is another one of her feel-good stories. Illustrations by Coco Dowley emphasize the point. Take bread, for example: “the earth grew the wheat, the wheat made the flour, and the wonderful happened.” Eggs hatch bluebirds, seeds become roses. “water makes tea, apples make pie, and it snows.” Rylant ends with the miracle of children. “you happened like bread, like a bird, like rain.” It’s a lovely book for happy, even charming, moments.
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Molly and the Sword by Robert Shlasko, (1996) is unoriginal and tedious. Molly is a good daughter who demonstrates qualities one mi...
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Frederick by Leo Lionni values the imagination. While Frederick's family gathers food supplies for the winter, Frederick sit...