Designed for readers beyond picture books, but not so advanced that fun and imagination are removed, Wishing Wells and Broken Tales fills that important niche. Reference pictures are included, but not enough to restrict a child's reading practice and development at that next important level. Reading fun begins when Jack and Jill meet familiar nursery rhyme characters as they explore along a forest trail. They meet Boney, a dog embarrassed when Mother Hubbard tells him that since the cupboard is bare, he will have to find his own bones. They also meet Patience, one of the children who lives with the woman in the shoe. And of course, a real story wouldn't be complete until there's a race between a rabbit and a turtle, a turtle who thinks he's a rabbit. Other exciting characters include the evil witch who likes to bake Hansel and Gretel cookies in the gingerbread house. And, we can never forget Little Miss Muffett who has a problem with an interesting spider, named Creepie. While children have fun, they also learn important concepts of responsibility, cooperation, and acceptance of others.