Erin McGuire

My first experience with Cynthia Rylant's work was via her marvellous poetry; while this is not poetry, there retains a similar feeling to the storytelling herein, soft and cohesive.

This is also, I believe, the first time I've seen the story of Sleeping Beauty used so directly to make the point that sometimes all one can do is wait; some things just take time to pass. It was well done and nicely handled, neither suggesting giving up nor hopelessness.

I also liked that it is not solely because show more Sleeping Beauty is the princess she is to be blessed by fairies - that all children in this kingdom are - and, of course, that the angry fairy is represented as bitter and hopeless herself rather than simply nastiness for its own sake, as is sometimes common. show less

Rose Valland loved art. When the Nazis invaded Paris during World War II and took over her beloved museum, Rose could have fled. But who would save the artwork? So, Rose remained and saw how she was underestimated by the soldiers for being a quiet, unassuming woman. She knew it was the time to act. And Rose had a secret weapon: she could speak German. She listened, kept track of all the stolen art, and saved what she could. Rose became a spy. And in the end, she saved thousands of works of art.