Age 04-08. 4 Stars. This wonderful book tells the story of William Tell in songlike rhyming text, with watercolor illustrations… The text is well written, and the artwork, while not artistically spectacular, is pleasing and full of period detail. It’s best for children who are old enough to understand that Tell’s son was in real danger of death, without being traumatized by the knowledge.

Age 08-12. 1 Star. Martin is a deeply lonely preadolescent boy who earns a reputation for picking on children smaller than himself…. This book follows his muted coming-of-age, as he turns from his destructive behavior and attempts to live down his reputation…. While this story might be valuable for helping children cultivate compassion for the local playground bully, the poisonous character of Martin’s family, and the wishy-washy way in which Martin’s sinful behavior is explained, makes it an unsuitable choice for our family library.

Age 04-08. 2 Stars. A nice little introduction to the Greek pantheon of gods. This book is rendered very engagingly for young children, with the words and details carefully selected, and well-drawn pictures telling much of the story. Unfortunately the stories are told rather uncritically…. The book is very good at capturing a child’s imagination, but at ages 4-8, children are not equipped with the critical thinking necessary to separate these mythologies from their Bible stories. Additionally, many of the Greek myths involve violent and abusive behavior, bitter feuds, andthe misuse of sex, which may not take the imagination in the direction parents want it to go. At a later age, this book might make a good once-read introduction for reluctant readers to introduce a more in-depth presentation of Greek mythology.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. This is a compelling story about courage and forgiveness told within a Native American perspective. On Christmas Eve a young child and his grandmother are robbed of both their coats and Grandmother’s moccasins by three drunken youths, and walking home barefoot in the snow Grandmother loses two toes to frostbite. She spends the final quarter of the following year preparing extraordinarily beautiful beaded moccasins to give to her assailants at Christmas…. Because this story illustrates so beautifully the power of faith-filled forgiveness, I recommend it despite its inclusion of symbols which have traditionally been associated with tribal religion.