The Starlight Wonder Book

"The Starlight Wonder Book" by Henry Beston is a treasury of imaginative stories from the beginning of the 1900's. These tales overflow from a world of wonder and daring quests, highlighting brave heroes, funny kings and queens, and mystical beings. The characters face moral challenges in fantastical lands. The book emphasizes themes of bravery, affection, and the victory of righteousness over wickedness with an engaging narrative style. "The Brave Grenadier" tells the story of a young soldier who, at the end of a huge battle, saves an injured foe. Because he was kind, a wizard gives him a special green stick that lets him change the size of things. The soldier then has to face scary things like a threatening hippodrac and a deceitful chancellor. This first story displays the book's captivating spirit and gives a preview the collection's topics of courage and magical exploits.