Song of Delphine

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2015

Review

Delphine is a small orphaned servant girl who works in the palace of Queen Theodora. Sad and lonely, she sings at night to keep her spirits up and ease her loneliness. When the queen's young niece comes to live at the palace, Delphine hopes to make a friend but Princess Beatrice is mean and cruel. Delphine's nightly song, along with her tears draws the attention of some kindly giraffes who come to her window and invite her to see the savanna where they live. They deliver her back to the palace after the journey but mistakenly set her on the open window of Beatrice. Delphine recognizes thesame sadness in Beatrice as she is experiencing and sings a song to her to cheer her. the princess calls the guards to take her away. When the queen calls for her she fears the worst, but the queen asks her to sing and pronounces her the "Queen's Singer." As the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait" and Delphine is rewarded for her kindness. Princess Beatrice asks her to forgive all the mean things she has done they are friends. Beatrice and Delphine experience the same loneliness and sadness, but it is how they cope with their experiences that define who they are and how they cope. The illustrations are soft and simple and convey the message of the text. It is a beautiful book in both text and illustration.

Overall Book Score: excellent