The Wind Between the Stars

by Margaret Mahy, Brian Froud (Illustrator)

Phoebe hears the wind coming from between the stars when she is a child and when she is a young mother, but she is too busy to stop and listen. However, when she is old and alone she hears the wonderful wind from between the stars again. She dances with happiness and lifts her feet off the ground ..

25 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1976

About the author

Margaret Mahy was a well-known New Zealand author of children's and young adult books. While the plots of many of her books have strong supernatural elements, her writing concentrates on the themes of human relationships and growing up.

Her books The Haunting and The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance both received the Carnegie Medal of the British Library Association. There have 100 children's books, 40 novels, and 20 collections of her stories published. Among her children's books, A Lion in the Meadow and The Seven Chinese Brothers and The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate are considered national classics. Her novels have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Japanese, Catalan and Afrikaans. In addition, some stories have been translated into Russian, Chinese and Icelandic.

For her contributions to children's literature she was made a member of the Order of New Zealand. The Margaret Mahy Medal Award was established by the New Zealand Children's Book Foundation in 1991 to provide recognition of excellence in children's literature, publishing and literacy in New Zealand. In 2006 she was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Award (known as the Little Nobel Prize) in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature".

Margaret Mahy died on 23 July 2012.

On 29 April 2013, New Zealand’s top honour for children’s books was renamed the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret...

Reviews

[Capn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The wind's blowing right from between the stars tonight," Phoebe's old granny said once when Phoebe was small. "Three times around the world and off again . . . and if anyone wants to go with it, it will take them . . ." Again, when she was older, Phoebe was to hear this strange strong wind, but she was too busy with growing up and having children to stop and listen. Until, that is, she was old and alone and heard once more the wonderful wind coming from between the stars. Phoebe danced with happiness and lifted her feet off the ground . . .

When I first started using OpenLibrary, I thought it would save me half a fortune in out-of-print books. It probably has/will, but every so often a book like The Wind Between the Stars comes along.. and I read it, and then immediately purchased it in hardcopy so I can possess it, utterly. Greed, doubtlessly. But also screen resolution (the illustrations...!!!! I want to pore over those in various lighing situations, at my leisure!). It was the same with Pagoo.

I love stories about the Wild Hunt, and those about storms, and 'earth mysteries', and while this little picture book isn't about any of those per se, it sure ticked all my boxes. Phoebe starts out small, and ends up frail and old, withered and white... and that's where this story takes off (if you'll pardon the pun). And in contrast to Phoebe, the aged but alive, there's equally aged but brittle and 'staring at winter' Miss Gibbs: there are way too many Miss Gibbs in this world, who will never allow themselves to be swept off their feet.

'but her eyes reflected a winter that wasn't really there.'

As a middle-aged person, who already feels as old Phoebe does (I guess it gets worse?), this was a lovely, hopeful book. I hope it will be for my offspring, as well - to know that the magic will still be there at the end, waiting for you. If you don't forget about it, that is. And how could you?!

In the running for my 'book of the year', in spite of it being 5th January, and this being a very old picture book.

But the wind, the wind from between the stars, took them as it takes all things that flow and are free.

[AE Michels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Magic

I read this story back in the '70s when it was published in Cricket Magazine, and it's stayed with me all the years since, due in part to the tale and part to the illustrations. This is Mahy at her sweet-aching, heart-opening best, and Froud's illustrations are more "Are All the Giants Dead?" than the Labyrinth's goblins.

I won't spoil the story, but it's about the choice between practicality and joy, between responsibility and dream. And nowhere along the way can one say Phoebe's choice was wrong...

If you don't have deep pockets, the story is available in "The Door in the Air and Other Tales", though the illustrations are nowhere near as lovely.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love some of Margaret Mahy's lesser known titles and this one is another special one, especially with the intricate illustrations from Brian Froud that you can look at for ages and find something new in every time. A whimsical story with Margaret's signature magic.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fable for adults that many special children will treasure, too. When I get even older than I am now, will I remember to be like Phoebe, or will I keep my feet on the ground like Miss Gibb?