John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress Retold »

Geraldine McCaughrean's career includes the retelling of such classics as One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, The Canterbury Tales and The Bronze Cauldron: Myths and Legends of the World, which is a collection of stories from all over the world. McCaughrean has won the Whitebread Award for A Little Lower Than the Angels, the Guardian Prize and Carnegie Medal for A Pack of Lies, and the Beefeater Children's Novel Award for Gold Dawn.

Acclaimed as one of "the greatest literary masterpieces in the world," this allegory captivates the reader s attention while providing insight into the Christian life. Join Bunyan as he tells the story of one man s pilgrimage from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City whose builder and maker is God.

School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up-McCaughrean is known for her ability to make classic literature accessible and appealing to young readers. Here, her attempt to bring this religious allegory to contemporary readers is only partially successful, due in large part to the symbolic nature of the work. As in her earlier books, she retains the story's narrative framework and drama with a careful choice of events and use of rich, powerful language. She has eliminated much of the detail and lengthy philosophizing found in the original, presenting the story as a grand adventure. She has also toned down some of the most violent episodes such as Faithful's death. Unfortunately, Christian's dangerous journey may not be enough to attract and hold children's interest. Pilgrim's Progress is essentially a complex allegory. Understanding the symbolism is key to appreciating the drama. Most children will not have the biblical knowledge or the maturity to understand and interpret the allegorical levels. Without that foundation, Christian's episodic adventures may seem too disconnected for them-despite McCaughrean's lively retelling. Cockcroft's illustrations, softly rendered drawings interspersed with dramatic double-page paintings, emphasize Christian's struggles. This is a limited purchase for libraries in need of a children's edition of this classic. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progess (Eerdmans, 1994), retold by Gary Schmidt and illustrated by Barry Moser, is a slightly more modernized version and features a multiethnic cast of characters.-Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.