The Gate of Dreams [Paperback]

Lillian Somersaulter Moats (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

The Gate of Dreams, illustrated profusely in silhouette, is reminiscent of classic fairy tale editions. Yet the three stories, which appeal to adults as well as children, are entirely new. The sympathetic characters in The Woodcarver's Daughter, Franz the Fool, and The Girl of the Bells, along with the rural settings of these stories, recall to the reader that sense of delight, recognition, suspense and wonder found in the classic tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.

Indeed, it was the revered fairy tale scholar Bruno Bettelheim who first suggested the publication of the fairy stories of Lillian Somersaulter Moats.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This trio of original fairy tales features a stock cast in stock situations. But the prose is, if not quite purple, solidly lavender: "Her true colors were as inscrutable as a chameleon's. But at her heart of hearts she secreted the green of envy, the yellow of spleen." A maker of animated films, Moats redeems herself somewhat with her artwork, especially her fine black-and-white silhouettes, which convey an impressive range of emotion and lend the tales a timeless quality. The full-color oval portraits that frame each tale, however, seem dated. Moats would do well to take a cue from her own crisp silhouettes: she is at her best when she strives for simplicity, not ornamentation. All ages.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-The three original fairy tales in this volume strongly reflect the influence of classic stories of the genre, particularly those of the Grimms or Andersen; an introduction prefacing the text hints that this writing style was purposely adopted. Like many imitations, however, these tales do not quite match the quality of those they try to emulate. One of the chief problems is the overuse of formal language that results in sentences so crammed with flowery phrases that they sound belabored and awkward. Another difficulty is poor character development, especially with secondary figures. In "Franz the Fool," for example, the young woman who rescues the hero from a dangerous sleep mysteriously emerges from a group of villagers to do so; her connection to Franz is never explained, although her timely appearance does provide the young man with a bride. The stories do have a pleasing, old-fashioned mood, which is accented by the exquisite illustrations. Most of them are dainty, beautifully proportioned, finely detailed silhouettes done in black on white and scattered across the pages; at any moment they seem ready to leap into action. Each selection is also accompanied by two full-color illustrations; these glowing, light-filled paintings resemble colorplates from 19th-and early 20th-century novels. Libraries with strong fairy-tale collections may wish to add this for the illustrations alone.
Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library District, IL
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 89 pages
• Publisher: Three Arts Press; 2 Revised edition (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963649213
• ISBN-13: 978-0963649218
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,132,709 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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