Once Upon a Time
Kindergarten-Grade 3-The long walk to school under the hot South African sky doesn't bother Sarie at all. It's the destination that troubles her, or more precisely, the classmates who giggle when she tries to read aloud and who later taunt her. On Sundays, she escapes to Auntie Anna's rusty, old car, and while Sarie pretends to drive, the two swap stories. When the child unearths a book from a crevice in the back seat, she reads it with the help of her aunt. Sarie thoroughly enjoys the Cinderella story, which Daly peoples with characters from the girl's life, a technique that portrays her connection to this reading experience with economy and style. Although Sarie continues to struggle in school, she has gained the self-assurance to carry on. The cycle of skill and confidence is set in motion, ultimately impacting her class performance. The author is as adept at conveying the anxiety that accompanies failure as he is at depicting the pride felt with success. Sarie tries envisioning the words in the school text as they appear when she's with her aunt: "-lots of friendly letters holding hands to form words that danced and sang together." The realistic watercolors contrast the shimmering vitality of the sun, Sarie, and Auntie Anna with the dusty earth and lackluster classmates. Endpapers of swirling letters suggest the story's theme. Those who pause long enough may see a message; readers at any stage will appreciate the struggle.Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public LibraryCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.