Maid of the Wood [Hardcover]

Fiona French (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 1987 | Age Level: 6 and up

Captures the atmosphere of a night in the great forest where the fire flickers in the eyes of the watching wolves and a strange magic is done - a doll is brought to life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3 This story has many of the earmarks of a folktale but since no acknowledgement is given, one can only assume that it is an original tale. Four men spend the night in a forest inhabited by menacing wolves. To keep the wolves at bay, they build a fire and take turns on watch. To stay awake, each man finds something to do to fill the time. The woodcutter carves a piece of wood into a doll; the tailor makes clothing for the figure; the jeweler makes a necklace and rings; the holy man breathes life into the wooden doll. The four men argue about to whom she now belongs, but the now life-like doll leaves them to see the world. The story is an interesting one, but it seems to go nowhere. The sentences are short and almost void of lively verbs and adjectives to brighten the story line. Full-color, whole-page watercolors do little to lift the book above the ordinary. The night trees and the wolves will entice browsers, but the illustrations of the four men and the doll are severe; some seem more designed to frighten youngsters rather than to enhance the text. Barbara McGinn, Oak Hill School Media Center, Severna Park, Md.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 25, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192797980
• ISBN-13: 978-0192797988
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,113,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't listen to the professional reviewer!, May 2, 2003

By 

the real lily bart (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Maid of the Wood (Hardcover)

Maid of the Wood was one of my four children's (three boys and a girl) favorite books when they were in the early years of elementary school. The haunting colors of the pictures, the simple but provocative text, and the empowering ending give this story the archtypal resonance of a folk-tale, whether or not it is an original story. I now give the book (I collect out-of-print editions throughout the year) to my senior advisees when they graduate from our small liberal-arts college. Maid of the Wood is a simple but wonderful story which appeals to young people of all ages exploring freedom and autonomy, if not to professional librarians.