The Horn Book Guide

YOUNGER FICTION

Morpurgo, Michael

On Angel Wings

48 pp. | Candlewick | October, 2007 | Trade ISBN 978-0-7636-3466-7 $8.99

(1) 1-3 Illustrated by Quentin Blake. Morpurgo's exhilarating Nativity story features traditional elements but also takes startling departures. A colloquial tone doesn't feel irreverent; the familiarity of the characters' interactions makes the boy's adoration of the baby Jesus even more powerful. The small trim size emphasizes the intimate nature of Morpurgo's story; still, Blake's watercolors can rise to glorious heights, especially when depicting the heavenly host.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2007