The Four Good Friends

This story is so much like an old-fashioned fairy tale that, when coupled with paintings by Watts, who specializes in Grimms' fairytales (The Elves and the Shoemaker, it's hard to believe that it's a 20th century work. The four good friends are a squirrel, a rabbit, a hen and a mouse, all of whom have been taken in by a woodcutter's wife named Maria. One day, a knight stops by the cottage and is offended by the rudeness of Maria's husband Simon. He arrests Simon, and Maria goes to prison with him. The four friends rescue the couple, and they all return to their forest cottage. When a monk comes to call, Simona changed manis gracious; the monk reveals himself to be the knight in disguise. The story has a certain mythic quality, while the illustrations draw the reader into their warm, domestic world. Ages 5-8. (March)