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YOUNGER FICTION
Könnecke, Ole

Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest

64 pp. | Gecko | September, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-77657-395-0 $18.99
(2) 1-3 Translated by Shelley Tanaka. Könnecke's (Anton Can Do Magic, rev. 1/12; You Can Do It, Bert, rev. 3/15) drolly illustrated early chapter book stars Dulcinea, a girl who loves blueberry pancakes and her father. Elements from fairy tales--a magical transformation, a witch, monsters, a perilous journey, an impervious castle, a clever heroine, a book of spells, even a woodcutter--infuse this original story. Könnecke adds his own unique touches: the story takes place on Dulcinea's birthday, so there are balloons, which pop on the thorns surrounding the witch's castle; the witch is an absolutely hideous singer; Dulcinea's sidekick is a (barely mentioned in the text) white duck. The love Dulcinea feels for her father underlies the whole plot, making this more reminiscent of Steig's Sylvester and the Magic Pebble or Brave Irene than something out of Grimm. Profuse line and wash illustrations, in a minimal palette of light oranges and browns, set the scene and capture atmosphere and personalities beautifully, from the egomaniacal witch to Dulcinea's sweet father--whether as a human or a tree.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

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