Miranda the Explorer: A Magical Round-the-World Adventure
Kindergarten-Grade 4–The intrepid heroine ofMiranda the Castaway(Orion, 1997) is off on another adventure in this delightful title. After winning a prize of a ride in a hot-air balloon, Miranda unexpectedly finds herself launched on a journey of self-discovery when the balloon is swept away by a gust of wind. She bravely learns to operate it, managing to save herself from several near disasters with the assistance of several kind friends she meets along the way. As she ventures across the continents, the girl stops to admire many world landmarks from the Taj Mahal to the Grand Canyon. At last she floats across the English Channel, waves to the queen in London, and returns safely home to "her favorite supper" and "her own comfy bed." Offered her own television show, Miranda tells the director that she's too busy and readies her balloon for a new adventure. This delightful story is accompanied by charming, comic-strip, watercolor illustrations that greatly enhance the plot with humorous details. Each drawing is filled with a sense of motion that carries Miranda along on her voyage. Readers will cheer this endearing, but ordinary child as she joins the ranks of other memorable picture-book explorers.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.