The Angel and the Soldier Boy (by Peter Collington)

Told entirely in pictures, this tells of thieving miniature pirates from a little girl's bedtime storybook who come to life and steal her special coin. When the child's soldier doll demands that they return the treasure, the pirates take him prisoner aboard their ship. The soldier boy's friend, an angel doll, heroically journeys through the sleeping girl's house to rescue the soldier boy and retrieve the coin.

To us giants, a child's world seems simple and sheltered. But for little ones, something as seemingly routine as the loss of a favorite coin can be traumatic, and a friend's steadfastness or betrayal can make or break a child's day. In THE ANGEL AND THE SOLDIER BOY, true friendship is put to the test.

This book is full of affectionate moments. The little girl's mother reads her a story and kisses her goodnight, and the girl falls asleep with her favorite dolls placed beside her. Later, one doll is distraught over the other's disappearance, and when she rescues him, he gallantly kisses her hand. The story closes reassuringly with the little girl clasping one of them in each fist, and all is once again right with the world.