The Well at the End of the World
Kindergarten-Grade 4–An author's note indicates that this story is loosely based on the British tale "The King of Colchester's Daughters." Princess Rosamond helps her father manage his kingdom. She's smart, but not much of a looker. All is well until the widowed king marries a beautiful yet greedy woman who also has a daughter. The two spend his treasury on clothing and jewels then demand that he tax his people at a higher rate. When the unhappy king falls ill, Rosamond takes off to find a magical well that contains healing water. She is kind to those she meets along the way and is amply rewarded with wealth, beauty, and love. When the stepmother and her daughter learn about her success, they attempt to collect some of the well's bounty. The selfish stepdaughter is rewarded in kind, with horrible ugliness. Upon her return, she attempts to fool a handsome prince into marrying her, but Rosamond saves the day and she and the young man live happily ever after. Done in a mixture of acrylic and watercolor, the richly hued illustrations vary in size from smaller vignettes to two-page paintings. They expand the narrative by imparting a fairy-tale setting and show lots of action and expression. Young viewers will enjoy the numerous small details. Consider purchasing this nicely paced story where fairy tales are popular.–Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.