The Emperor's Ostrich

May 8, 2017
Berry (The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place) creates a lively, magic-laced folktale featuring a self-centered emperor, a dairymaid, a farmer boy with grand romantic ideals, and two very stubborn animals. It begins when two ancestral spirits decide to teach the 21-year-old bully of an emperor a lesson, kidnapping him and leaving him on the road with no companion except an eight-foot-tall ostrich. In a nearby village, Begonia is searching for her wandering cow when she runs into Key, who has left home to seek his fortune. Believing Begonia is a damsel in distress, Key insists on being her escort, and they soon cross paths with the unrecognizably bedraggled emperor. Disastrous predicaments ensue, and the travelers find themselves on a mission to save the empire, which has been usurped by a scoundrel who makes the original emperor “look like a saint.” Whimsical details, including an enchanted map and a pot of mustard that changes flavor, will delight readers, and the nonstop action will keep them on the edge of their seats. Ages 9–12. Agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group.

Jayne Entwistle is splendid as dairymaid Begonia, who is helpful to her mother. When their cow, Alfalfa, disappears, Begonia must find her. En route she encounters the delightfully talkative Key, a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic and finder of things. Rich descriptions of the countryside and people they pass sparkle with Entwistle's delivery. Her best creation is Lumi, an arrogant stranger who is riding an ostrich. It turns out the ostrich has fallen in love with Alfalfa. Listeners will especially enjoy the story as Begonia warms to Lumi and positively influences him. A subplot involves the kingdom's missing emperor and his ancestor spirits, all of whom sound both convincing and otherworldly. S.G.B. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine