Brave Irene by William Steig, William Steig (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year

Brave Irene is Irene Bobbin, the dressmaker's daughter. Her mother, Mrs. Bobbin, isn't feeling so well and can't possibly deliver the beautiful ball gown she's made for the duchess to wear that very evening. So plucky Irene volunteers to get the gown to the palace on time, in spite of the fierce snowstorm that's brewing-- quite an errand for a little girl.

But where there's a will, there's a way, as Irene proves in the danger-fraught adventure that follows. She must defy the wiles of the wicked wind, her most formidable opponent, and overcome many obstacles before she completes her mission. Surely, this winning heroine will inspire every child to cheer her on.

Publishers Weekly

When her mother, a dressmaker, falls ill, indomitable Irene fights a raging snowstorm to deliver a dress in time for the duchess's ball. A Michael di Capua Book. Ages 3-up. (April)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4 Fans will enjoy this typical Steig myth, although it lacks the surprise and logic of his best stories. It isn't a fit night out for man nor beast when Irene pluckily forges on through wind and snow to deliver the ball gown that her ill mother has stitched for the duchess. The dramatic pictures of brave Irene's painful journey will engage children's sympathy, but children will also wonder why the dressmaker's child didn't stay home with her sick mother, however grateful the duchess was. The magic just isn't here. Anna Biagioni Hart, Sherwood Regional Library, Alexandria, Va.

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