by Katherine Paterson
Once upon a time, a long time ago, a magical heart was carved out of flint. But this flint heart was not magical in a good way; it was magical in a bad way, making its wearer cruel and greedy and unfeeling. When this story begins the flint heart has been forgotten about, hidden for thousands of years in an ancient grave. It is found quite by accident by a kindly farmer, named Billy Jago, who turns instantly into an unkind and abusive bully upon picking up the heart. Lucky for Billy, two of his children, Charles and Unity, are determined to find out why their father has changed and what they can do to change him back. To do this, they decide to visit the Pixies. With the help of the Pixies, and other magical beings, Charles and Unity are able to free their father from the power of the flint heart. The story doesn't end here, though, because soon another creature has found the flint heart and turned into an ill-tempered beast. It is up to Charles, Unity, and the magical creatures they meet to get rid of the flint heart, once and for all. This charming fantasy is a rewritten version of a book written one hundred years ago by the author Eden Phillpott. A lovely and fun read complete with illustrations.
Recommended for grades 3-5
Reviewed by Tara Olson
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