Pattou relates her parable in straightforward yet gentle prose, leaving the whimsy to Tusa's (Maebelle's Suitcase) pen-and-watercolor illustrations. Spitzer's ''seeds'' are duly planted and tenderly nurtured, and while some ''grow quickly, pushing upward, eager, impatient,'' others ''grow more slowly, unfolding themselves bit by bit.'' As the seasons progress, the little plants grow sturdier, until finally the school year comes to a close and Mrs. Spitzer's room and gives her a packet of seeds.'' The cheerily appointed classroom (stocked with a gerbil, a rug with real hopscotch squares and a ''dress-up corner'') seems to augur a run-of-the-mill kindergarten tale, but Pattou (Hero's Song) soon launches her story into the realm of metaphor. Thank you to my grandma Eileen for lending me this book.At the end of each summer, the principal of Tremont Elementary School ''walks down the hall to Mrs. Overall though, it’s a happy ending for most. I don’t have a favorite character or part, but I think all of it is equally good and important, although some parts are a bit sad. It is very exciting, and adrenaline pumping, and some parts are gripping and dangerous, and some bits are happy and wistful, and peaceful, such as when Rose is making a treacherous journey across an icy river, and then when she is back at home talking to her siblings, and playing with animals on the farm. Rose has a feeling that there is more to things than it seems, and is confident to investigate – but could her curiosity bring her to harsh places with people ( or those of the same kind as Tuki ) who are willing to kill and imprison those who stand in the way of what they want? Rose might be about to prove that the fortune teller’s prophecy is true… Also, when Rose goes to bed, there is a mysterious visitor who sleeps in her bed, though she does not know who it is. While there, Rose meets a servant called Tuki, who looks like a human, but has very rough skin, and speaks a different language. They go to a palace set inside a mountain. Rose agrees to come with him as she was very fond of her sister, and wanted to help.

Then one day, when she was a girl, a talking white bear comes and says that if Rose comes with him, then the one closest to death will heal. She was meant to be called Nyamh Rose, but her mother wanted to believe that she was an East born, so named her Ebba. Rose’s first name was Ebba, the beginning of her name beginning with ‘E’.

If you were born facing North like Rose was, you would be North born, or if you were born facing West, you were West born. A fortune teller once told her mother that any north born child of hers would travel away from home into dangerous land, and be crushed in an avalanche of snow and ice. Reviewed by Banana Girl (9)Įbba Rose’s mother was always very protective of her.

Edith pattou books