  | Queen in the cave Author: Sarda, Julia | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
One night, Franca has a dream about a marvelous queen who lives in a dark cave, deep in the forest. She needs to know if her dream is true. So with her younger sisters, she ventures into the forest at the end of their garden. As they travel deeper through nettles and thickets, drawing closer and closer to the cave, the world shifts, and everything shrinks and expands at the same time. Here, they meet beasts and creatures that shock and delight them, and escape horrible things that frighten them.
Reviews:
Booklist (+) (03/15/22)
The Hornbook (09/01/22)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/15/2022 *Starred Review* Three sisters sneak out for a nighttime adventure in Sardà’s fantastical picture book, which taps into the wonderous imagination of childhood and hints at what lies beyond. The girls are lounging about their room one night when Franca, the blonde-haired eldest, convinces them to follow her into the woods to search for a queen who she dreamed was hiding in a cave. The girls creep outside, where they are soon met with incredible sights and sounds. A stream of night creatures—a moth with wings like tapestries, a large owl, and little sun-headed beings waving matchstick torches—rushes overhead, ultimately sweeping the sisters along with them. Sardà unleashes a phantasmagoric blend of beauty and eeriness in her intricate, antique-hued illustrations, which show the girls taking tea with a spider, marching in a rat’s funeral parade, and pushing through a colony of hanging bats before finally arriving at the cave. The wildness of the journey teeters between being a wonderful dream and a nightmare, and that keeps the tale supremely exciting. The cave holds more than one surprise, making this more than just a daring night out. Indeed, when the youngest sister asks if it’s all a dream, Franca replies “’I’m not dreaming. . . . In fact, I’m more awake than I’ve ever been.’” An unforgettable story that will leave readers with their eyes wide open. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
