From School Library Journal
Gr 1-5-Noted storyteller Laura Sims tells 11 stories from Georgia, Romania, and Northern Poland in this collection. In warm, expressive tones, the stories are a mix of Sims' personal experiences growing up in Brooklyn surrounded by immigrants from these countries and traditional folktales from the Black Sea area. Many of the tales employ a kind of magical realism, as in "Grandma Ida's Diamond Earrings," where young Laura receives the "Gift of Dreams" when her grandmother plucks two stars from the sky and puts them in her ears. Sim's personal stories provide appropriate lead-ins to the more traditional tales, offering background and context. "The Red Fish," a Georgian tale, tells of a fisherman's son whose kindness to animals is repaid when he must hide from an all-seeing princess. Dreams are a constant theme throughout the stories, from "Baragladdin, the Gypsy Boy," who spends his life searching for the gold at the end of the rainbow, to "The Dreamer," a story from Georgia which combines familiar elements from the biblical story of Joseph and special talents of "The Seven Chinese Brothers." Some shorter, humorous tales are included as well ("The Stupid People of Auch" and "Nasruddin"). In the final, surprisingly affecting "The Queen of Everything," a king's youngest son succeeds in healing his father and securing the aid of the titular queen. Mysterious background music, combined with Sims' lulling tones, add to the dreamy atmosphere of these tales.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg, MD
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
Simms is a major force in the renaissance of storytelling in America. --
New York Times, April 6, 1997This series [Secrets of the World] introduces students to different places, cultures, and folklore. An excellent collection. --
School Library Journal, April 2001
