(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. A king's demand for a legendary moon dragon sends fortune hunters on a fruitless quest as each longs to win the promised riches. Only Alina, a young wood gatherer, knows where to seek the dragons, but she quietly chooses a very different treasure to reward her efforts. Blythe's luminous illustrations capture the soft landscapes and strong emotions of this fairy tale.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. Toymaker Menschenmacher chillingly transplants a sparrow's living heart into a wind-up toy. Meanwhile, protagonist Mathias, after receiving a deathbed gift from his conjurer grandfather, barely survives a slew of hair-raising adventures. The story's action is vividly narrated, its characters powerfully imagined, the scenario intriguing. Its conclusion is bleak, but with such unresolved issues as Mathias's true identity, a sequel seems indicated.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2010

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. Six fairy tales previously retold by Ehrlich are here compiled, repackaged, and reillustrated with pop-ups. Each begins with a sort of title page/frontispiece designed to resemble a miniature book; when the cover is opened, a beautifully rendered pop-up illustration is revealed. The stories themselves are recounted faithfully and rhythmically. Each features at least two lush illustrations as well as spot decorations.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. A girl plays with her new, pristine white teddy bear with a music box inside, turning him into a bedraggled thing. The bear is miffed (especially when she removes his music box), but after being left behind, he realizes love and inner beauty are what are important. Lifelike oil paintings with an old-fashioned sensibility reflect the bear's changing emotions.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. Eight-year-old Tomas is transformed by the power of a librarian's storytelling. When war comes to his village and the library burns, the townspeople band together to save the books and the carved wooden unicorn that sits in the storytelling room. The sketchlike pencil and watercolor illustrations effectively bolster the plot, but the insertion of wordless double-page spreads results in awkward line breaks.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. Paired with a traditional retelling of the famous story, Blythe's contemporary-looking artwork seems out of place, although the black-and-white sketches and large color illustrations are technically proficient and interesting in design. The plot does not always flow smoothly, but McCaughrean provides some lovely descriptions of the Beast's palace.

Reviewer: Anne St. John