Frej the Fearless: The Secret World of Frej - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 2?A child's fantasy leads him and his babysitter on a rousing adventure "over an ocean of underwear to an island full of paintbrush trees." There, he battles a beast to save Queen Feather-Duster. Instead of using his sword to smite the animal, he scratches behind its ear and tames him with "fearless love." The jacket copy makes this story sound like it will be a didactic, heavy-handed lesson in conflict resolution. Mercifully, it is wonderfully imaginative and quite childlike. The bright pencil-and-gouache illustrations enhance and expand the story by showing bits of fantasy not in the text. Innovative designs include the Queen's orchestra (the neck of the cello bends to play the flute) and her hairbrush warriors. The least successful aspect of the book is the rendering of Frej and his babysitter, who are quite unappealing looking. The unique typeface is used with mixed success; at times, it seems gimmicky. Some words are displayed in a color reflective of the word (red hair, royal orchestra), and "the BEAST" is always capitalized, and "the Queen" is always italicized, which seems unnecessary. A creative type and layout works well when describing the jester and his dive into the garden. In spite of its drawbacks, the book has its strengths. Use it in story times to spark imaginations and creative play.?Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This story of a boy's imaginative adventures in his own room invites an unflattering comparison with Where the Wild Things Are. Frej and his baby-sitter "sail in a red coffee cup over an ocean of underwear to an island full of paintbrush trees." There, in a Queendom ruled by an anthropomorphized feather duster, a limp adventure ensues as the Beast (a dog) attacks the Queen, and Frej "tame[s] the monster with fearless love"-that is, he scratches behind the Beast's ears. Frej's parents return and, blind to the world created by their son, see only the lad and his sitter-"a woman who has strong arms, red hair and lipstick on her teeth." In Wild Things, Max's imagination served to channel his anger and teach him the value of rules and self-control; it also made for a great read. But this work seems more like an adult take on children's imaginations than a fantasy with its own internal logic. With their stylized animals and prancing objects, Olofsdotter's bright, hip gouache and colored-pencil drawings outshine her prose, and assorted typefaces add visual interest, but stylishness cannot save this concept-heavy story. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.