GOSSAMER

An encounter with a tattered and blind butterfly helps the lovely winter weasel Prettina understand the perils of vanity and the value of inner beauty.

This picture book is about creatures who live in a magical land called Barely There. Among them is a beautiful white weasel, Prettina, who goes about asking the others, "Is there anyone in Barely There who is as pretty as me?" Bluejays screech at her, chipmunks laugh, and a rabbit tells her to "Go to Mirror Lake, and there, just at the water's edge, you will find someone as pretty as diee. Best be careful, for the ice is as thin as your vanity." When Prettina leans over and gazes into the frozen lake she sees her own reflection. Then she runs all over the ice trying to catch up to it. When the ice breaks, Prettina leaps onto a tiny island and is marooned until a tattered butterfly, named Gossamer, flies close by. He tells Prettina that he, too, was once very vain. When he saw his reflection in a bit of mirror and flew too close to a candle, his wings were singed and his eyes blinded forever. Prettina expresses pity for the poor butterfly, but Gossamer says, "Even though I cannot see, I'm not really blind. It's all in how you feel about yourself." Prettina now understands that it's inner beauty that matters most. Together, the two find their way back to the land of Barely There and spring. The morals of this fable are familiar ones: Vanity invites disaster, and character is more important than appearance. But the story is so charmingly told it seems fresh. And the lavish color illustrations are lovely; studying them is a pleasure. Recommended for library collections. For ages five to nine. -- From Independent Publisher