The Ring and the Window Seat [Library Binding]

Amy Hest (Author), Deborah Haeffele (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1990 | Age Level: 6 and up

Although she has been saving for a ring, Stella decides to give her bundle of nickles to a carpenter who is trying to rescue his little girl from a war-torn country.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-- Birthday-girl Annie goes to visit her beloved Aunt Stella; she wants to ensure that her aunt will come to her party, and she wants to hear a story. Stella tells Annie about her own girlhood, when she saved her money for a ring she desperately wanted. A heavy storm ruins her birthday party; as guests cancel, there is an unexpected visitor: a carpenter, out a day's work because of impassable roads. He needs to earn enough money to rescue his daughter from war-torn Europe where she is in hiding because she is Jewish (country and year are unspecified). Refusing charity, he builds a window seat for Stella. Before the day is over, she slips her savings into his work bag. Stella then gives Annie the ring that the carpenter's daughter gave her upon arriving safely in this country. While the story is a worthy one, it doesn't have the emotional impact of Hest's wonderful The Purple Coat (Four Winds, 1986) or The Crack of Dawn Walkers (Macmillan, 1984) . The structure will probably confuse young children, who are also likely to be unfamiliar with the references to war. The illustrations, in detail of dress and hairstyle, capture a feeling of the time, but are static and awkward. And Stella looks far too old to have been a child during World War II. --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Trade (October 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590413503
• ISBN-13: 978-0590413503
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,748,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amy Hest's many acclaimed children's books include the New York Times bestseller Kiss Good Night. A three-time winner of the prestigious Christopher Award, she lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars utterly charming, January 5, 2009

By 

David C. Garlock (Chevy Chase, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ring and the Window Seat (Library Binding)

It's been a long time since I read this book to my daughters, but I still remember it well, and it's one of my favorite children's books ever. It tells the story of how a young girl learns a lesson about how there are things more important in life than a birthday party that has to be cancelled because of a storm. The story unfolds very naturally and is never heavy handed or moralistic. Also, a very gentle introduction to the themes of the hardships of war, and particularly WWII. The illustrations complement the story nicely. Great for kids 9-12.