Europe

Materials from Europe

Changeling

The year is 1453 and all signs point to it being the end of the world. Accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, handsome seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is recruited by a mysterious stranger to record the end of times across Europe. Commanded by sealed orders, Luca is sent to map the fears of Christendom and travel to the very frontier of good and evil.

Seventeen-year-old Isolde, a Lady Abbess, is trapped in a nunnery to prevent her from claiming her rich inheritance. As the nuns in her care are driven mad by strange visions, walking in their sleep, and showing bleeding wounds, Luca is sent to investigate and driven to accuse her.

Forced to face the greatest fears of the dark ages—witchcraft, werewolves, madness—Luca and Isolde embark on a search for truth, their own destinies, and even love as they take the unknown ways to the real historical figure who defends the boundaries of Christendom and holds the secrets of the Order of Darkness.

Nurse Clementine

This is a gentle and delightful tale charmingly told and illustrated by an award-winning picture book creator. For her birthday, Clementine Brown is given a nurse’s outfit. All she needs now are some patients! When her dad stubs his toe and her mum has a headache, Clementine is on hand – she even bandages the dog! But when there’s a real emergency and her little brother Tommy gets stuck up a tree, “Nurse Clementine” comes into her own.

One Gorilla: A Counting Book

What better attention-getter for small children than primates in all their variety? And who better to render them than Anthony Browne? In this elegant counting book, the author-illustrator outdoes himself with a vivid presentation of primates from gorillas to gibbons, macaques to mandrills, ring-tailed lemurs to spider monkeys. With his striking palette, exquisite attention to detail, and quirky flair for facial expressions, Anthony Browne slyly extends the basic number concept into a look at similarities and differences — portraying an extended family we can count ourselves part of.

The Black Rabbit

Rabbit has a problem. There’s a large black rabbit chasing him. No matter where he runs — behind a tree, over the river — the shadowy rabbit follows. Finally in the deep, dark wood, Rabbit loses his nemesis — only to encounter a real foe! Kids who like to be in on the secret will revel in this humorous look at shadows and friendship, brought to light by a talented animator.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume VII, Issue 3

Nobody Asked the Pea

Expands upon the classic tale of the princess and the pea as seen through the eyes of the prince, the princess, the king and queen, various servants, a mouse, and even the rather vain pea, itself.