The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Miri is Jewish. She has been living in Germany with her mother and father but then Kristallnacht happens in 1938 and so the family flee to Paris. Sadly, if you know your history, the Nazis arrive in Paris and so the terror continues. The soldiers arrive to take Miri and her family away but her father has already gone into hiding and Miris cannot find her mother. Their neighbour Madame Rosenbaum takes her hand and they leave together with young baby Nora. Madame Rosenbaum knows all their lives are in danger so as they are being unloaded from the bus she tells Miri to hide and run and take her baby Nora to keep her safe. Madame Rosenbaum tells Miri they will be reunited in Switzerland. Miri has taken off the yellow star and when some soldiers march towards her a young nun takes her hand and explains she belongs in the local orphanage. Miri has been rescued but only for now.

It is not safe for Miri to stay with the nuns and so she and Nora are loaded onto a truck and driven far away to a small town. Miri is exhausted from days of hiding and so she falls asleep and cannot stop the drivers who pass young Nora onto a local family. Miri is taken to another Convent School run by different nuns. Her name is changed and she has to hide her faith but she is desperate to find little Nora. There are two other older girls living in the convent over the summer - but can Miri trust these girls with the truth about her life in Paris and her faith?

There is a castle in this town which has been taken over by the soldiers. It has beautiful but badly neglected gardens - for vegetables and for flowers. Miri, now called Marie, befriends an elderly lady who asks her to tend the flower garden - actually she is very demanding - but is she a real person? Her clothes seem outdated and strange and it feels as though no one else can see her. 

Meanwhile several of the nuns are working for the resistance and smuggling Jewish people and wounded enemy soldiers over to the free side of France - the Vichy. One of the nuns is hurt and so it is Miri who takes over the nighttime task of guiding people through the castle grounds and over the bridge to safety. These scenes are so tense you will be on the edge of your seat. 

This was bound to happen - I wonder why it took so long. I began this blog in 2008 and every month I read so many books. I picked up The Night War in a school library last week and by the end of the first page I knew I had read this book already BUT when I checked my blog I had not talked about it - I wonder why. So, this morning when my city visit plans were cancelled, I sat down and re-read the whole book 273 pages - in one sitting and as you can see I gave this book five stars - yes it is that good. In fact it is an utterly engrossing story with some deliciously tense scenes. This book is perfect for readers aged 10+.

Publisher blurb: It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale.  But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri is called upon one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more.

Each of these reviews has more plot details:

This poignant story moves quickly but takes care to consider with sensitivity the excruciating choices Miri must make at every turn as she’s torn between choosing safety and honoring her heritage and her convictions. A gripping, humane tale that examines what war demands of children and what it costs them. Kirkus Star review

This is a story that will completely engage readers and have them yearning for Miri to survive. Readings

This middle-grade novel is fast-paced, suspenseful, and heart-wrenching. Miri is a sympathetic character who faces terrifying situations, forcing her to make life and death decisions. Her emotions are believable, admirable, and valiant. A fantastical element may catch some readers by surprise, but Bradley places hints along the way that may tip off those who read more closely. Historical Novel Society

I adored two previous books by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley:

The war that saved my life

The War I finally Won

In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

 

"The queen, though tiny in comparison to her wolf, still possessed an enormous presence. Her hair was tightly braided, hanging in a thick black rope over her sky-blue tunic, long enough to reach her knees and matched to deep blue leggings, and a shawl of brilliant copper weave across her shoulders. Ysolda had never seen such deep pigment, the thread made from metal thin enough to bend like fabric. Around her neck was a thick torc of gold, a semicircle of brilliance - the sun made metal."

Ysolda is out in the forest with her sea hawk companion, Nara. She needs to avoid capture by the Ryders who work for the infamous Wolf Queen. The Queen has a plan to dominate all of the realms. Her name changes depending which realm she has claimed and so she is variously called Raani and Seren. The name the Wolf Queen comes from the wolves she uses to travel around her kingdom. They are under her control but they are also wild and fierce creatures.

"She clicked her fingers once, twice, and the wolf heaved itself to its feet, and stared down at Ysolda, something wild slipping beneath its dead eyes. ... Its growl reverberated through her entire body, it lips lifting to reveal white fangs as long as Ysolda's hand. She imaged them plunging into her chest, imagined her blood spilling out across the wood-and-crystal floor."

Ysolda needs to think quickly. She needs to be able to tell a good story. The queen wants power, and she wants to meet and then destroy the legendary ancient wise woman - The Anchorite. Ysolda tells the queen that she knows the way to End-World Wood. Ysolda is desperate to free her older sister Hari who has been captured. Hari is gifted is a listener she can hear the language of the trees. The Queen collects gifted individuals partly to control them but also to use them. Ysolda agrees to talk Seren to The Anchorite in exchange for her sister's freedom. The bargain is struck, and the dangerous journey begins. 

One of the interesting characters in this book is the queen's General Shivani. For reasons that are not explained in this first installment Shivani allows Ysolda to spend the night before their journey to End-World Wood with her sister in the pitch-black dungeons. While she is there Ysolda learns more about the Wolf Queen and also about her own destiny but later in a violent scene the general is killed.

The other very interesting character who unexpectedly helps Ysolda is The Forgiver. Kore is a young girl who is said to possess the powers of forgiveness and foretelling. If you have the paperback edition of this book the description on pages 151-152 could be a terrific extract to use in a book talk with your students. Part of The Forgiver's 'show' feels quite fake but then she takes Ysolda aside and privately gives her a amulet which will allow Ysolda to see the way through a fog. This will save her life in a later scene. She also tells her:

"You are going on a journey. Not the one you think you're on. You'll need to root into the wound. You'll lose the one you love three times. You'll see the clouds as a sea. You'll see roots as constellations. In the highest place you'll find the deepest time. In the deepest place you'll find the brightest light."

I also loved the world building in this story and the references to different cultural practices. 

I picked up this book because I loved two previous books by Kiran Millwood Hargrave but I should have noticed the title also said - "A Geomancer Book". I reached page 266 of the 283 pages before I realised this story would not be resolved. I will now need to WAIT for Book Two - oh no! And I think it might be a year - August 2024 - before I can rejoin the world of Ysolda, Eira (the Wolf Queen's rebellious daughter), and the young servant Sami. A Goodreads reviewer said: the ending was mostly unsatisfying. I wish there was at least a little bit of a resolution towards the end, but it felt almost as if we had stopped mid story to me. This left me wanting more, but not in a satisfying, cliff-hanger type of way. 

I recommend this book for readers who enjoy quests, fantasy, action and stories of loyalty and betrayal aged 11+. 

Book seller blurb: Ysolda has lived her life in the shadow of the wolf queen's tyrannical rule but, safe in her forest haven, she has never truly felt its threat. Until one day when a mysterious earthquake shakes the land and her older sister Hari vanishes in its wake. Accompanied by her loyal sea hawk, Nara, Ysolda embarks on a desperate rescue mission. But when she is forced to strike a bargain with the wolf queen herself, she soon finds herself embroiled in a quest for a magic more powerful - and more dangerous - than she could ever have imagined ...

The start of a new series, this is a beautifully and gently written story that is part adventure, part fairytale, part mystery, and with underlying tones of magic and mythology. With a main character as fierce and brave as any you’d find in a Katherine Rundell novel, themes of environmental consciousness, and elements of Tolkien, it’s an immersive and immensely enjoyable read. Book Trust

This is a story of sisterly love and perseverance, all told in Millwood Hargrave’s lyrical and flowing style. Readings

The Island at the end of Everything

Companion reads:

The Wolf Wilder

Prisoner of Ice and Snow

Impossible Creatures

Windswept

Sky Song

Raven Child and the Snow Witch by Linda Sunderland illustrated by Daniel Eguéus

You might like to begin with this spellbinding animation of Raven Child and the Snow Witch. 

Anya's mother sets off at the start of Spring, with a flock of ravens, to collect gentian flowers. I had never heard of these but after a little research I have discovered these pretty blue flowers represent justice and victory - and these are themes in this story. 

Image Source: BBC Plant Finder

While waiting for her mother to return Anya falls asleep and she has a dream that her mother has been taken prisoner by the Snow Witch. Anya tells her father they need to set off straight away to rescue her but a Raven arrives with a broken wing. The Raven explains that he saw Anya's mother fall into a glacier - it seemed to swallow her and all of the Ravens. 

The next day Anya, her father and the wounded Raven set off to the ice covered mountains. Close to the glacier they find a wounded Arctic Fox so now they are a group of four but it is Anya who marches bravey alone to confront the Snow Witch. This evil woman is filled with rage and power but Anya has a secret weapon - she has her own deep love for her mother and this is more powerful than the bitterness of the evil witch. The ice begins to melt and the Ravens lift the Snow Witch into the sky.

"The Snow Witch shrieked as her world began to melt and she felt her power failing. The ravens caught hold of her hair and pulled her upwards, crashing through the glacier like black fireworks. She shattered into a thousand jagged crystals that sank into the depths of the ocean."

The story in this book feels like a fairy tale (I am thinking of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen) and Linda Sunderland uses some beautiful phrases but the real magic in this book comes from the delicate illustrations. The snow looks so cold. 

Here are a few fragments of the text:

"They were Anya's special lucky flower and they glowed in the dark like sapphires."

"Far away, the gleaming glacier stretched high into the coldest sky where snow is born."

"The hunted creature shook its silvery fur and sniffed the air with its pointy noise; it was an Arctic fox, ghost of the snow."

"They trudged many miles, until at last they saw lights from a village. As they approached the air filled with tears, and the villagers told them of the beautiful woman who had enchanted their children and stolen them away ... "

Make sure you stop and read the poem on the title page which serves as a warning about the Snow Witch.

Who wakes from a sleep of a thousand years? 

Who loves the sound of sighs and tears?

Who changes water into stone?

Who puts the cold in the aching bone?

Who kills colour with deadly white?

Who gives the wind its freezing bite?

Who lurks beneath the glaciers skin?

Who watches, smiles and lures you in?

Today I visited a charity book sale (Lifeline Book Fair) and picked up 48 books for just $80. There are always treasures to be found at these regular fairs and the organisers have high standards to you can be sure the books are in great condition. Some books are in such great shape they look brand new. I don't think my book today has been read more than once in a family - it is in mint condition. It cost $2. 

Raven Child and the Snow Witch was first published in 2016 by Templar in the UK but my copy is from Five Mile Press in Australia. I have the hardcover edition [9781760405144] and it is out of print but the paperback is still available. This is a longer picture book with 48 pages so I would share it with children aged 6+. This book will greatly appeal to fans of the movie Frozen too. 

The illustrations are as powerful and dramatic as the story with bold dark colours set against the vast white of the snow and ice. The use of perspective highlights how small Anya and her father are against the imposing glacial mountains and there is a real sense of anticipation surrounding the Snow Witch. Acorn Books Blog

A stunningly illustrated story, reminiscent of Hand Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen, Anya's quest to find her mother and her befriending of animal friends along the way is a mythic tale you'll want to return to every winter. Book Trust

The glittery and sparkly cover is incredibly attractive – I am not sure if I have ever seen such a beautifully presented front and back cover of a book. In the right light the books glistens like freshly fallen snow. Daniel Egnéus has exquisitely illustrated this book. Each page is a complete work of art and shows the emotions of the characters. The use of contrasting colours really makes the main theme and subject stand out of the page. His use of black portrays the desolate landscape, whilst the varied blue tones give the cold frozen ice feeling. Book Bag

Daniel Egneus is a also a fashion illustrator. Born in Sweden, Daniel has lived in Prague, London, Berlin, Bologna, Rome, Milan and has now made Athens his base.   I previously talked about The Thing and I have seen Moth and it is also a wonderful book. 

The Thing

Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone

"Your voice is a mighty thing, Eska. When everything is taken from you - your family, your home, 

your friends, your dignity - you still have  a voice, however weak it sounds."

The Ice Queen wants power. She wants to command all of the tribes. She plans to defy the gods. Her power will come from gathering the voices of every citizen. But there is one voice that is essential to her success. A young girl called Eska. She captures Eska and imprisons her in a music box. When the key is turned she is forced to dance but no matter what the Ice Queen does Eska refuses to talk. 

Every adult in the kingdom has been captured. They are languishing in the prison under Winterfang Palace. Flint is desperate to free his precious Ma but when he breaks into the palace, using long forgotten magic and wonderful inventions, he is confronted by Eska. She begs for his help and so their adventure begins and it is a race against time.

"The Ice queen is feeding on her prisoner's voices. ... And if she can swallow every voice in Erkenwalk before the midnight sun rises, she'll become immortal and will rule this kingdom for ever."

There are three tribes in the kingdom of Erkenwald - Tusk, Feather and Fur. In the past all three lived in harmony but now the Ice Queen commands the Tusk Tribe and the other two groups are filled with suspicion. Flint takes Eska back to his home but his brother Tomkin is sure she is a spy. Which tribe does she belong to? He banishes her to the wildness but Flint and his tiny sister track her down.  Now the three of them, Flint, Eska and Blu, along with Eska's eagle companion, Balapan, must form an unlikely team to find Frost Horn and use it to blow the Sky Song from the stars. 

This is one of those utterly breathtaking and atmospheric adventure stories where I just had to keep stopping to take a breath. Danger lurks at every turn and while I was sure Eska would succeed and I knew the evil Ice Queen would be defeated Abi Elphinstone kept me right on the edge of my seat gasping as this evil woman attacks this small group of young children over and over again. Spoiler alert - I loved that the Frost Horn was the tusk of a narwhal. 

If your young reading companion has grown up loving the Disney movie Frozen they will be sure to enjoy Sky Song (ages 10+). I also recommend you try to read the famous fairy tale - The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen and then the second book in the Narnia series - The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Even if it was not Abi's intention both of these are have clearly influenced this newer story. 

The writing in this book also reminded me of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver which begins with Wolf Brother. I was not surprised to read that, like Michelle Paver, Abi Elphinstone researched her book in the Arctic and Mongolia. 

If you have this book in your library you should use chapter 19 as a way to hook your group into reading this book. 

Abi Elphinstone's magical adventure already feels timeless, stuffed with close calls, fantastical creatures and deliciously evil villains. The world of Erkenwald is beautifully imagined, with stunning images unfurling in your mind and astonishing hideaways waiting to be explored. Book Trust

Blu has Downs Syndrome but, unlike so many stories where one of the characters has a disability, the story is not about her dealing with her disability or overcoming it. Instead, she's simply a realistic and likeable character who is being herself and who is able to make her own contribution to steering the group successfully through the adventure. The Book Bag

Here is an alternate cover

The Queen of the Birds by Karine Polwart illustrated by Kate Leiper

Who is the best? Who is the biggest? Who is the strongest? Who can fly high and far? Who has the best song? Who has the brightest feathers? Who should be the king or queen of the birds?

Arguments begin. There has been a huge storm and someone needs to sort it all out. The eagle suggests they need a king and that they way to select a king is to hold a flying contest. 

"They flocked in their millions from all over the kingdom. The ruby-throated hummingbird, the curlew and the cuckoo. The white-crested laughing thrush, the heron and the hoopoe. The robin, the flamingo, the gannet and the crane."

Birds gather and the contest begins. Of course some birds don't fly - such as the penguin. Other birds only fly very short distances such as the pheasant and the partridge. Songbirds need energy for singing. Eagle knows he will be crowned the winner. He will be the King of the Birds! But as he flies high in the sky a tiny bird pops up beside him and then she flies even higher. It is the tiny Jenny Wren. 

"A queen for the birds, not a king!"

Now go back to the problem. All of this was not about winning or ruling it was about cleaning up the mess from the storm. Jenny Wren suggests that everyone can work together. Everyone can use their own special talents and very soon the work will be done. 

This story is based on a Celtic folktale. 

The art in this book is glorious:

My only very tiny quibble (I do adore this book) is the search and find page at the back which shows twenty-five birds for readers to identify does not list the puffin which as you may know is my most favourite bird. There is a puffin on the back cover and you will spy one in this illustration.

Publisher blurb: After a terrible storm, the Kingdom of Birds is looking for a leader. Will it be the bird with the loveliest song, or the brightest plumage? The fastest in the air, or underwater? The bird who flies highest, or those who stick together and work as a team? All across the sky, birds are flocking together. Nightingales and robins, barn owls and blackbirds. The eagle, the flamingo, the birds of the moor. Curlews and cuckoos and herons and hoopoes. And Wee Jenny Wren. Let the contest begin!

The Queen of the Birds has an easy to read lyrical text which uses alliteration, rhyme, consonance and different sized fonts to give it a musical quality. The words are woven around Kate Leiper’s vibrant illustrations which include lots of white background space. Story Snug

Companion reads:

Best Test

The Go-Away Bird

Wilder than Midnight by Cerrie Burnell

A baby is born but something is wrong. The mother takes the baby to huntsman and orders him to dispose of the child telling him she is dead. But this baby is not dead. The huntsman takes the tiny newborn to his own home and shortly after this he resigns from his job. Meanwhile the mother, who is actually the Queen, wants a replacement baby so sends her soldiers into the forest late at night and demands a young family surrender their new born baby girl. Baby Aurelia, as she is now named, is presented at her christening but someone arrives, not with a gift, but with a curse. When this girl pieces her finger on a spindle she will fall into a deep sleep and only the kiss from her true love will awaken her. 

Add to this mix a mysterious forest; dangerous wolves; local people under the tyrannical rule of an evil queen who forces them to work in her dangerous mines and three girls who form a team to reveal the truth and set Aurelia free. 

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of the writing:

Opening sentence: "At the edge of a fathomless forest, in a castle grey as could, a baby was born at the stroke of midnight. But, alas, all was not well."

"The scent of honeyed buns and baked currants reached Saffy through the cold. She flitted in through the open door of the bakery and breathed in happiness. On the counter were plates of creamy pastries, apple turnovers, sultana bread and slices of winter cake full of glistening cherries."

"Each wolf found its way to a member of the Forest Folk, and there they stood, heads and hearts level and aligned. ... Oak with her short dark hair, amazing knowledge of the forest and her red wolf named for her rare maple-leaf fur: Red. Jeremiah, the storyteller of the group ... his silver wolf Wisdom lingered by his side, her sharp intelligence glimmering like an aura. ... And Tobias - or Blackbeard - the protector of the group. With his bright eyes and rugged charm, stood with Rogue, his one-eyed cub."

When you pick up this book if you need a chapter to use as a book talk with a group in your library turn to chapter 19. It is filled with porridge, broken chairs, beds and bears but in a way that will delight you. 

If you love fairy tales then I am sure you will enjoy the alchemy of this story where so many favourites or elements of favourites are woven together. Red Riding Hood; Sleeping Beauty; Cinderella; Rapunzel; Goldilocks and the three bears; and the Snow Queen. This book is also a terrific page turner - I almost read it in sitting. Cerrie Burnell creates such a memorable atmosphere in the forest and in the tower where Aurelia is imprisoned and I loved the three feisty girls who work together to restore those two babies, now young girls, to their rightful families. 

Publisher blurb: Silverthorne is a place of secrets and stories. A forest full of twisting paths and tangled thorns. A castle with locked towers and murmurs of tragedy. A village trapped between terrors known and whispered. And something is stirring in the leaves . . . Saffy is a good girl, tired of being told to stick to the forest paths, and always follow the rules. Aurelia is a hidden girl, locked in a castle tower, dreaming of escaping the fate she's told awaits her Wild Rose is a fierce girl, raised by wolves, full of spells and fearlessness and cunning. Together, they will change Silverthorne forever.

I really enjoyed Wilder than Midnight but I went with four stars (nearly five) because I am not a fan of the cover (of course I am not the intended audience).

Wilder than Midnight will be published on 5th May, 2022. Here are some companion reads:

Cerrie Burnell is the author of twelve books. She appeared on the television show CBeebies. Just like Wild Rose in Wilder then Midnignt, Cerrie was born with a partly formed arm. 

Bartlett and the ice voyage by Odo Hirsch

I am a massive fan of Odo Hirsch and I often recommend his books to the students who visit my school library.  I am such a fan that when people talk about inviting six authors to an imaginary dinner party Odo Hirsch is always at the top of my list.  Read his book Hazel Green to see why I would bake Chocolate Dippers.

I bought home the audio book of Bartlett and the Ice Voyage which I first read in 1998. There have been times over the last weeks when I just could not get out of my car because I needed to listen to a little more of this engrossing story.  I can see why this book was short listed for the Blue Peter Award in 2001.

The Queen is given every treasure you can imagine for her birthday from every part of her extensive kingdom but the one thing she desires is a melidrop.  They grow in a far away land and spoil one day after picking.

"People sent melidrop seeds, but they failed to shoot. They sent melidrop trees, but their leaves curled up and died. Then the people tried sending melidrop fruit, but no matter how early they picked them, the fruit always spoiled in the box. The Queen would open the packing case to find a disgusting, smelly pile of darkened melidrop skins."

The Queen is desperate to taste this exotic fruit but she is unwilling to travel the vast distance needed. One of her advisers, Sutton Pufrock, introduces the queen to  Bartlett and his friend Jacques le Grand. Sir Hugh Lough is not impressed :

"this famous Bartlett was about as dashing a milkman. He had freckles on his face and his hair was obviously not very friendly with his comb. His fingers were knobbly. He came to see the queen in a plain shift, patched trousers and a pair of worn leather boots ... creased and creviced as a turtle's neck."

Bartlett does find a way to transport the precious melidrop.  You need to read the story for yourself but his method is quite inventive and perhaps surprising.

There is so much to discuss as you read this book.  How can Bartlett bring back a melidrop? Should he try to bring a large quantity?  Will the Queen even like the fruit and will this satisfy her desire for unusual gifts? Odo Hirsch is a master of description - so many parts of this book could be used as writing models for your class.

My favourite scenes involve food (as usual).  When Lord Roland of Tull visits the Queen each Thursday he enjoys eating her little butter cakes and sipping tea. After months of waiting Bartlett has not returned with the precious melidrop. The Queen is impatient and furious and she now shuns Lord Roland but one day he does come for tea. "He stared. There were lemon slices on the plate. Where were the butter cakes? What had the queen done with the butter cakes?"  You are sure to grimace as he is forced to do more than take a dainty bite of this bitter slice.

Here are my reviews of two other Odo Hirsch titles - Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, Darius Bell and the crystal bees.

Our copy of Bartlett and the Ice Voyage is in very bad shape so once again I have searched a second hand seller and found a copy.  It is on the way.  Here is a five minute audio sample from page 10 onwards describing the giraffe which the Queen is given as one of her multiple gifts.  This book is also available from itunes.  Here is the Kirkus review.

I would pair this book with The Greatest Treasure of Charlemagne the King and The quiltmakers gift.

The BFG by Roald Dahl

The BFG is, of course, such a famous book.  I won't go into all the plot details, inventive and amazing words or the very special relationship between this brave little girl and her gentle giant friend. Read here for some ideas to use with a class.  Next item on my school shopping list is the audio book read by David Walliams.

Instead I just thought I might quote a couple of my favourite passages :

"The butler, an imposing personage named Mr Tibbs, was in supreme command of all the palace servants and he did the best he could in the short time available.  A man does not rise to become the Queen's butler unless he is gifted with extraordinary cunning, sophistication, sagacity, discretion and a host of other talents that neither you nor I possess."

"Sophie, still wearing only her nightie, was reclining comfortably in a crevice of the BFG's right ear. She was actually in the outer rim of the ear, near the top, where the edge of the ear folds over, and this fold-over bit made a sort of roof for her and gave her wonderful protection against the rushing wind. What is more, she was lying on skin that was soft and warm and almost velvety. Nobody, she told herself, had ever travelled in greater comfort."

"Then out he came!
Twenty-four feet tall, wearing his back cloak with the grace of a nobleman, still carrying his long trumpet in one hand, he strode magnificently across the Palace lawn toward the window .. he stopped and made a graceful bow ... 'Your Majester ... I is your humbug servant."

I re-read The BFG today in preparation for seeing the new movie. I do hope it has the same magic (and marvelous words) that make the book so special for every generation.