Princess Lenore is ill from too many tarts. She believes that owning the moon isthe only thing that will cure her. Despite the King's command, no one in the Court can get it for her. Only when the clever court jester consults the princess herself is the problem solved, with characteristic Thurber wit. Full-color illustrations. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Reillustrating a classic is a dicey proposition. On the one hand, publishers run the risk of alienating readers loyal to the original interpretation; but on the other, there's the opportunity to captivate new readers with a fresh artistic vision. The track record for re-illustrations is mixed as well, but in this case, the verdict is unequivocal: success. A Caldecott Medalist himself, Simont proves a noble successor to Louis Slobodkin, and his buoyant watercolors, full of poignancy and subtle merriment, more than do justice to Thurber's beloved tale of a princess who asks for the moon, and the wise jester who presents her with it. Even staunch traditionalists will find it hard to resist this new version. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1990 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

PreS-Gr 3-- Although the Caldecott-winning edition illustrated by Louis Slobodkin (HBJ, 1943) is the one that many parents and librarians grew up with, this new full-color version by Simont has a charm of its own. His illustrations are more modern in appearance, although the essentially periodless style of dress on the characters has the timeless look that this literary fairy tale demands. Backgrounds are generally sketchy, giving the characters center stage. The clever Jester, dressed in fool's motley, is still the only one of the King's advisors who has the sense to ask Princess Lenore just what she expects when she asks for the moon. The pompous Lord High Chamberlain, the skatty Wizard, and the absent-minded Mathematician are as helpless as ever, and the little princess with her common sense and gap-toothed smile is charming. This will delight a whole new generation of children. --Rosanne Cerny, Queens Borough Public Library, NYCopyright 1991 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information