The Magic Hill [Hardcover]

A. A. Milne (Author), Isabel Brown (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

"Once upon a time, there was a king who had seven children." So begins this rediscovered treasure by A. A. Milne, never before published in picture-book form.

After having six sons, the King and his Queen are finally blessed with a daughter. But a fairy bestows a gift upon the newborn princess: "Let Daffodil the gardens fill. Wherever you go, flowers shall grow." Soon young Daffodil begins to walk, dotting flowers across the King's favorite courtyard and the perfectly manicured paths. How is she finally able to run free and play like other children--without ruining the royal garden? Readers will be charmed to see how the little hill at the far end of the grounds becomes the Magic Hill, not only for Princess Daffodil but for all the boys and girls of the countryside.

Isabel Bodor Brown, whose family has shared this tale for three generations, here offers lighthearted ink-and-wash illustrations that make this a wonderful gift book for readers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For this winsome fairy tale, a first-time picture book illustrator imagines the characters from a story Milne wrote in 1925. Brown's fine ink line combines with pastel and bold hues in delicately detailed, small-scale watercolors. The opening illustration sets the tone: a foppish king of long ago, decked out in an ermine-rimmed red robe, looks quite bewildered by his frisky brood of six boys. The family portrait serves as the perfect foil for Milne's accompanying understated wit: "The first three were boys, and he was glad about this, because a King likes to have three sons. But when the next three were boys also, he was not so glad, and he wished that one of them had been a daughter." After a girl, Daffodil, is at last born, a fairy godmother grants her a christening gift: "Let Daffodil/ The gardens fill./ Wherever you go,/ Flowers shall grow." When the flaxen-haired child takes her first steps and dots the pathways with blooms, the King decrees that Daffodil must walk only on the flower beds rather than play on the paths with the other children. There is, of course, a happy-ever-after resolution, which Brown's art illumines with humor and charm. All ages. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-This rediscovered original fairy tale, written in 1925, is full of charm and sly humor. Neither complex nor overtly moral, it delivers its own sweet vision of childhood where play is as pleasant as a freshly picked flower. At her christening, Princess Daffodil's parents anxiously await a gift to be bestowed upon her by the Fairy Mumruffin. Will it be Beauty, Wisdom, or Goodness? No, it is that flowers will grow wherever their daughter goes. Upon the child's first birthday, the King returns from hunting to find flowers blooming on his pathways. He decrees that the Princess must be carried across all walkways and can play only in the flowerbeds. The forlorn child finds that the opposite is true for the other children, who are not allowed in the beds. Thus, when the Doctor finds her sorely in need of exercise, he advises, "although she is a Princess, she must do what other little girls do." The Queen finds a solution: a lovely little hill where the child can romp all day and the country children pick flowers come evening. The watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations define the characters with a light and airy touch. They are full of royal dignity as well as palpable pathos. Facial expressions bring humor and joy to the fore. Minute, loosely detailed flowers are radiant, and the neatly framed pages add to the overall appeal of this fanciful tale.
Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525461477
• ISBN-13: 978-0525461470
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,692,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alan Alexander Milne was born in London on January 18, 1882, the third and youngest son of a schoolmaster. At age eleven, he won a scholarship to the Westminster School. He went on to attend Cambridge University and became the editor of the undergraduate paper, Granta. After graduating from Cambridge in 1903, Milne moved back to London with enough savings to live for one year. He was determined to become a writer. By 1906, he had been offered the position of Assistant Editor at Punch, a classic British humor magazine. He remained at Punch for the next eight years.
In 1913, Milne married Dorothy de Selincourt (known as Daphne) and moved to a house in London's Chelsea section. When World War I broke out, he enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, eventually serving in France. During his training period, he wrote his first play, Wurzel-Flummery, which was produced in London in 1917.

By 1919, having completed one book and several plays, Milne finally achieved financial independence. His play, Mr. Pim Passes By, previously staged in London, was produced by the Theatre Guild in New York City. It was as great a success there as it had been on the London stage. Milne was now well established as a witty and fashionable London playwright. In 1920, Christopher Robin Milne was born, an event that was to change the history of children's literature. In 1923, during a rainy holiday in Wales, Milne began work on a collection of verses for children. The result was When We Were Very Young, published in 1924.

Demand for Milne's whimsical work was overwhelming, and in 1926, he duplicated his earlier success with the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh. The sequel, The House at Pooh Corner, followed in 1927. Now We Are Six, another charming collection of verse, followed one year later. It was through these four books, all illustrated by the wonderfully talented Ernest H. Shepard, that Milne acquired a vast audience outside of the theater. In the years since their initial publication, interest in these books has grown and grown.

Milne continued to be a prolific essayist, novelist, and poet until his death in 1956.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magic Story, May 18, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic Hill (Hardcover)

The Magic Hill is an old fashioned fairy tale, complete with a happily ever after ending about a young princess who makes flowers grow wherever she walks. A.A. Milne wrote this delightful story 75 years ago, but it is as fresh and charming now, as I'm sure it was then. The illustrations by Isabel Bodor Brown are very special, beautifully drawn and compliment the text. An old story that will become a new classic. The Magic Hill is a treasure for the whole family to enjoy again and again.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Magic Hill, March 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Hill (Hardcover)

This was one of the sweetest books I've read in ages. In an age where robots and monsters dominate the children's book world, "The Magic Hill" is a welcome change. More impressive than anything were the illustrations by Isabel Bodor Brown. Her beautiful, whimsical drawings made this book an absolute pleasure to read. They were tasteful and lovely. All the little girls who have seen the drawings were mesmerized by Princess Daffodil, and all wished they could be just like her. This book is a classic in the making, and a perfect gift for any child. I highly recommend it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the perfect fairy-tale, March 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Hill (Hardcover)

The Magic Hill is a marvelously illustrated fairy-tale, the perfect Easter gift, and a refreshing, charming story. Your child will want to read it over and over and will love the pictures cover to cover. I highly recommend it.