Cutlass in the Snow

Shub, who has previously collaborated with Isadora on Seeing is Believing and The White Stallion, deftly portrays the details of the sail across Great South Bay and the excitement of the adventure. She describes the landscape of Fire Island with extraordinary love and care. One is torn between rushing through the book oto see the outcome and lazing over the beautiful prose. It's 1797 and 10-year-old Sam and his grandfather sail from Long Island to Fire Island. Once on the island they find a pirate's cutlass thrust into the snow. It marks the spot where a treasure chest is buried. Isadora's wispy and wonderful black-and-white picturesone per chapterevoke perfectly the period and the warm relationship between grandfther and grandson. (6-9)