Girls to the Rescue Book #2

February 1, 1997
Gr 3-6-Young women from a variety of cultures are featured as heroines in this collection of folktale adaptations and original stories. In each tale, a girl uses her ingenuity to overcome an obstacle threatening her or her loved ones. These obstacles include forces of nature, financial difficulties, and the less-than-honorable motives of other people. For example, in "Kim's Surprise Witness," a Vietnamese girl prevents a greedy moneylender from bankrupting her parents; a young American rescues her beloved colt from a dangerous winter storm in "Cody's Wooden Whistle"; "Jamila and the Tiger" tells of how the title character rids her African village of a menacing animal foe. The quality of the writing varies; generally, the four stories adapted from folklore flow more smoothly than the six original compositions (except for two polished entries from Anne Schraff). The tone of the anthology is upbeat and celebratory. While obviously created to fill a certain niche, the heroic nature of these selections should appeal to middle-grade readers who like adventure. Teachers may also find ways to use this collection to spark classroom discussions about female roles in societies near and far.-Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library District, IL