Kandide and the Secret of the Mists by Diana Zimmerman

Paperback: 978-0979432828, $9.99

Kandide is the most beautiful and the most perfect of the Fee, and after her father dies the most important magical gift of all, the Gift of Frost which changes the seasons, renewing the world, passes to her. But in overconfidence and with an over inflated sense of importance (which both cover the doubts and insecurities mixing beneath the surface) she has an accident, a mistake that leaves her scarred and therefore cast out from the society that days earlier prepared to make her their queen.

Banished from the perfect Fee society Kandide must come to terms with her imperfections and realize that there’s still a queen within her.

Truth be told I thought the book took too long to get going and I thought the Perfect equals, well, perfection plot line was heavy handed. But I read this story to my daughter, who is far closer to the target audience (9-12), before bed every night. She was absolutely enchanted.

Kandide’s emotional and physical pain made her a real person, and the bits of action kept her clutching the blanket and asking for one more chapter. The cast of fantasy characters from monsters to fairies to griffins, sparked her imagination and added more tools to her own storytelling equipment box.

While there wasn’t enough time spent on some of the secondary characters, Egan and Tara specifically, for her to get caught up with them this is the first book in a trilogy, as is promised by the resolution.

There are many pros to Kandide and the Secret of the Mists for both child and parent. Nonviolent solutions are promoted as a means to solving problems. The book is excellent for expanding a young vocabulary. Larger words are used in a way that makes their meaning easy to interpret for children. And even the scary situations are downplayed as much as the emotions are over played which leaves the danger still “safe” and not scary.

Kandide and the Secret of the Mists is accompanied by beautiful illustrations and crafted with the magic in the hearts of children in mind. If your child loves dreams and fantasy this is a fine addition to their early library.