Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* This whimsical, amiable, enchanting, gentle, and charming tale is the fifth (and best) in Sharon Wittig Albert's series featuring Miss Beatrix Potter. It succeeds on many levels and for many audiences. Readers should not expect a traditional mystery as there is no murder; instead, there is a series of intrigues to be untangled by the tactful Miss Potter. The puzzles include the death of the antiquarian Hugh Wickstead (killed by a falling treetop), a fireball burning down a barn, the mysterious appearance of a long-lost sister of Mr. Wickstead, and a missing treasure. This is also a fantasy, with talking animals and dragons who seem to know more about the puzzles than any of the humans. In true old-fashioned style, the narrator is omniscient and regularly tells the reader information to which the book's characters are not privy. This technique was used by Potter herself in her little tales and by Baum in the Oz books. There is also a real-life romance beginning to flourish between the two real characters, Beatrix Potter and her solicitor, Will Heelis. On yet another level, this is an engaging historical novel imparting much information about the life of Beatrix Potter in December 1909 in the village of Near Sawrey in the Lake District of England. Readers who begin with the open mind of a child will be well rewarded.--Coon, Judy Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
At the start of Albert's delightful fifth cottage tale (after 2007's The Tale of Hawthorn House), Beatrix Potter, dismayed by the frosty atmosphere at home in London with her demanding parents, returns to Hill Top Farm in the Lake District, where she gets caught in a blizzard. As she catches up on local gossip, Beatrix learns of the demise of a longtime resident, Hugh Wickstead, killed by a falling tree limb in the woods. Was Hugh the victim of a curse after he unearthed ancient treasure? Of course, the animals have their own stories to tell, and Beatrix turns to them for help in the investigation. Familiar creatures pop up along the way, including Pickles, a fox terrier that belonged to Hugh and may hold the secret to his master's death. As Beatrix reconnects with village life, her 1909 book, The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, begins to take shape. Readers will delight in Albert's special blend of fact and fiction. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
