Kellogg puts his touch to yet another classic. Going beyond the basic Pied Piper tale, the author weaves in the story of a downtrodden witch named Elbavol. After a kindness paid her by Peterkin the elf, she gifts him with a pipe. He quickly discovers its magic: The pipe plays the sounds of letters and, when used to spell words, makes those objects appear. Even better, when the words are played backwards, the objects transform accordingly. So, when faced with the rats of the (here unnamed) town, the Piper turns them all into stars…until the Grand Duke reneges on his promised reward. In characteristic fashion, the author joins the two story lines of the Grand Duke and Elbavol, the transformative power of love ensuring that everyone lives happily ever after. His signature artwork’s colors reflect the emotions of the characters, while the clever incorporation of the words spelled by the pipe makes it clear to even the youngest readers what happens when they are spelled backwards. No matter how it is spelled, this belongs on every library shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)
