PAULINE AND THE PRINCE OF THE WIND

by James Kruss ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 22, 1966

Each of the nine stories here is introduced by the author speaking in his own voice and then going on to retell a story that Pauline had made up for him. Pauline is a little girl who occasionally arrives at his house and tells a story for the price of a snack. Her imagination is even bigger than her healthy appetite and some of her inventions are charming. Nevertheless, the narrative device is awkward and the author's obvious appreciation of Pauline is indulgent and indulgence carries with it the curse of condescension, however fond it may be. While it is easy to understand an adult appreciating Pauline's precocious gifts, there is the big question of whether youth really speaks to youth and the possibility that her age mates will find that Pauline palls. Some of the stories have short verses in them which may have made more sense in the original German, although the prose translation reads clearly and smoothly. This isn't up to the author's two outstanding previous books My Great-Grandfather and I (1964) or Eagle and Dove (1965).

Pub Date: March 22, 1966

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1966

Categories: FICTION