Illustrated by Alexi Natchev. 32 p., Dial, 1999.
Outlaws attack the walled city of Beda, which is ruled by the princess Birgitta the Brave. The princess devises a plan in which she tricks the outlaws into believing that Beda is ruled by a sorceress who can turn humans into goats. Five children, disguised as goats, contribute to the success of her plan, which leads to the outlaws' terrified retreat. According to an afterword, the story is based on real events. The illustrations effectively convey the outlaw leader's ferocity, the princess's wisdom, and the children's innocence. War often makes children (and adults) feel helpless and overwhelmed, and certainly children should be protected from war, not brought in to fight it in any way. But the fantasy of children's power in this story will work against their sense of helplessness.
Ages 5-8
Main character's cultural background: European
Cultural context: European
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