Remembering Crystal
PreSchool-Grade 2—Crystal, an old tortoise, and Zelda, a goose, are best friends. They have traveled together and shared their fears, hopes, and dreams. When Crystal disappears from the garden and it's evident that she has died, the young goose revisits their friendship and discovers that loved ones live on in our hearts. Charming but static pen-and-ink drawings of the characters capture the essence of the short narrative sentences, though Loth's depictions of abstract concepts like "fear" and "dreams" do nothing to extend the text. More a greeting card than a book, this offering addresses a tough subject, but fails to develop the characters enough to be fully engaging. Alan Durant'sAlways and Forever(Harcourt, 2004) is a better choice.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NCCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.