From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-King Hendrik is cruel and greedy, taxing his people to the point of starvation. His prized possession is a string of 100 pearls, 99 of them flawless and 1 small and imperfect. He is lacking only a queen and orders his nephew, Prince Nils, to find him a perfect bride. Nils returns with Blanzeflor, a lovely and kind young woman willing to marry King Hendrik so that her father won't starve. The king gives her the pearls, warning that the day they are not around her neck will be her last. She finds that she cannot bear to see her people suffer, and one by one the pearls are sent to help them. When they are all gone, Blanzeflor is sentenced to death, but the birds she has cared for and who witnessed her kindness rescue her and destroy the king. Langton's narrative is powerful and precise, with a stately cadence. There is nothing extraneous in the tale, as each detail is set carefully into place. Blanzeflor is strong and independent as well as good. The strength and earthiness of Plume's illustrations are balanced by the ethereal quality of the colors and finely sketched details. The artist has also worked traditional Swedish motifs into decorations at the top of each verso. An appended source note discusses the original author and Langton's modifications. A handsome and appealing book.
Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Booklist
Gr. 3-5. Based on a Swedish literary fairy tale, Drottingens halsband, this lengthy, yet brisk retelling features cruel King Hendrik who orders his nephew Prince Nils to find him a bride worthy to wear his beautiful necklace of 100 pearls. Kind and gentle, his new queen, Blanzeflor, can not stand the suffering of her poor subjects. So, one by one, she gives away the beautiful pearls to alleviate their ills. But when her cruel husband discovers her "treachery," he demands her head--and that of her ally, the prince. Magically, friendly birds appear with the pearls, then they savagely kill the king. A picture book for older readers, this features art that is airy and light in color, though stiff in execution, with a Scandinavian heroine who is mature and robust. Includes a detailed note. Julie Corsaro
