Elisabeth and the Water-Troll

By Walter Wangerin Jr.

In an ancient well, outside the village of Dorf, lives a water-troll so frightening and terrible that the villagers call the well, Despair. When the troll, who understands the meaning of grief, helps young Elisabeth overcome her sorrow at the loss of her mother, all the feelingsof rage, fear, and ignorance are set loose in the village. 19 full-color and 10 black-and-white illustrations.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060263539
• ISBN13: 9780060263539
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books
• Length: 63 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 7.3" x 0.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Highly recommend, adults or children!

I read this book many times as a child and I have been trying to find a copy for over 10 years! I am so excited! I'm a grown adult, but I am very much looking forward to reading this wonderful book again!

An Amazing Grief Book

I know this book is probably written for and marketed to children, but as a grieving adult, it is awesome. The words he uses, the illustrations by Deborah Healy - all beautifully blend together. It appears (I haven't researched this fully) that Walter Wangerin, Jr. is a Christian writer, but this book could easily be used in all religious traditions. I especially love the part where the townspeople go to the parson and demand answers from him. He simply says, "I don't know." Their response is, "how can we fight a mystery?" I love the book for adults, but I think there are several good messages in it for children, one, that things are not always as they appear...