The Glass Mountain

When Raina's father, the king, challenges all her suitors to climb the glass mountain he has built, the princess decides to help one special young man win her hand. But when the two are almost at the top, Raina falls through a crack.

"The narrative demonstrates a precise balance of economy and detail, painting vivid images without resorting to florid description. Bauer's exuberant watercolor-and-gouache paintings flow with color and movement, wonderfully enhancing the story. The illustrations are packed with detail yet convey spaciousness, except, appropriately, in the gloomy, claustrophobic underground scenes. A polished effort that brings an old gem to light." -- School Library Journal