Items related to Enchantment in the Garden
Valerie, a lonely little girl, yearns for a friend, a wish that is answered when a statue in the park magically comes to life, but their friendship is threatened when the mysterious boy, Cherubino, vanishes.
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About the Author:
Shirley Hughes has written more than 200 books, creating enduring characters like Alfie and Dogger, who have thrilled children and adults alike with their tales of growing up and everyday discovery. Her many awards include the Kate Greenaway Medal and the prestigious Eleanor Farjeon Award for her services to children's literature.
From Kirkus Reviews:
A storybook with echoes of Frances Hodgson Burnett--absentee parents, a lonely girl, an orphan who blossoms while working in a garden, children who meet clandestinely, away from the governess's eyes--from Hughes, who illustrated an edition of The Secret Garden: all the elements of an old-fashioned read, but precious and out-of-date. This lengthy fantasy is set in Italy in the early part of this century, where Valerie is guarded by her governess. Her father tends the hotels and restaurants he owns; her mother lives for parties. After Valerie communes with a statue of a boy on a dolphin, the boy comes to life, taking the name Cherubino and revealing himself to be the son of a sea god. Disgusted by the conditions of the seaside, Cherubino leaves to take his place as a god of the sea, but he and Valerie are certain they will meet again. Hughes's illustrations of Italian architecture and landscapes are delightful, but children may not be engrossed by the travelogue-style descriptions: ``a great, white palace set among palm trees and lush foliage, its domes and pinnacles melting into the blue haze.'' An obvious labor of love, the story has so many disparate components--Valerie's solitude, Cherubino as a stranger to be shunned, an ecological message about the cluttered seaside, romance, enchantment--that readers can't settle into it, or even believe in the connection between the two children. (Fiction. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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- PublisherThe Bodley Head
- Publication date1996
- ISBN 10 0370323327
- ISBN 13 9780370323329
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Rating
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ENCHANTMENT IN THE GARDEN
Published by
Bodley Head Children's Books, London
(1996)
ISBN 10: 0370323327
ISBN 13: 9780370323329
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Hardcover
First Edition
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). 1st Edition. This copy is in new, unmarked and seemingly unread condition bound in illustrated laminated boards with red titling to the spine. This copy is bright, tight, white and square. The unclipped dust wrapper is in new condition. International postal rates are calculated on a book weighing 1 Kilo, in cases where the book weighs more than 1 Kilo increased postal rates will be quoted, where the book weighs less then postage will be reduced accordingly. A lonely little girl whispers in the ear of a marble statue and breathes life into his soul. . . And so the magic in this wonderful story book from one of our finest writer/illustrators begins to weave its web. Valerie is lonely. Neither of her parents have much time to spend with her and so she spends all her time with her governess, Miss McKenzie. Valerie and Miss McKenzie walk every afternoon in a huge public garden with many statues. One afternoon while Miss McKenzie is dozing Valerie visits her favourite statue, a boy riding a dolphin and Valerie christens him and gives him the name Cherubino. The next day the dolphin is alone and everyone is in an uproar. Someone has stolen the boy who was riding the dolphin! But of course Valerie has worked some magic and brought Cherubino to life. She goes on to be friends with Cherubino, rescuing him from a very unsympathetic orphanage, and through their friendship she discovers who he truly is. Ref UUU T. Seller Inventory # 031413
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