This is such a dear tale of a girl who charms and warms all with whom she comes in contact. There are simple, but profound, lessons of love and faith and hope in this story. It may seem too "sweet" for today's jaded youth, but I'd say it's the kind of book that can raise a child's view of life. Note: The editorial reviews at Amazon.com, however, are VERY confusing! I can't tell which version/edition the editorial is referring to, in many cases. This makes them less than helpful, to say the least.