Kringle
Gr. 5-8. On first glance, this story of how Kris Kringle came to live at the North Pole, surrounded by toy-making elves, sounds like the premise for a lighthearted cartoon. It is anything but. The boy Kringle lives in a dark wood in a dark age with Merwen, the old woman who has taken care of him since his mother died in childbirth. On the longest day of the year, the goblins come to enslave children. Kringle barely escapes, but Merwen is captured. So begins Kringle's long journey to find her, during which he learns his true purpose, after being rescued by elves, who aid him in the inevitable battle against evil. Framed in a world of cold and with religious overtones, the fantasy recalls C. S. Lewis'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In the end, Kringle triumphs and vows to make the year's longest day, which marks the birth of the Child, a happy one for children. Told in a come-nearer voice, this epic could have used some tightening, but the enticing premise, appealing young hero, and nonstop action will appeal to many fantasy lovers.Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved