The Prince of Tarn

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher-librarian in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

The Prince of Tarn is a fictional character in a book created by
Fred’s now-deceased mother. The 11-year-old Fred is amazed when the
Prince appears in his bedroom. As the story unfolds, Fred, his dad, and
others try to help the Prince return to the Kingdom of Tarn from which
Ezran, the wizard, has sent him. While the Prince experiences wonderful
events in Fred’s world, Fred notices a strange development in his book
version of Tarn: the number of trees on the pages keeps increasing. When
the Prince finally does return to Tarn, he finds his home overrun by
trees, just as Fred’s book is overrun by tree doodles.

Hutchins blends fantasy and real life with considerable skill. Told
with humor and conviction, the story of Fred and the Prince should
capture and hold the interest of young readers. Recommended.