From the moment young Egan arrives in Instep for the annual fair, he is entranced by the fable surrounding the misty peak of Kneeknock Rise: On stormy nights when the rain drives harsh and cold, an undiscovered creature raises its voice and moans. Nobody knows what it is-nobody has ever dared to try to find out and come back again. Before long, Egan is climbing the Rise to find an answer to the mystery.
"Here's a wonderfully fluent fable about man's need to have something to believe in. . . . The strength of this tale is in Natalie Babbitt's clean, modern, very confident telling. For children, especially, this is fine writing."
School Library Journal, Starred Review
"An enchanting tale imbued with a folk flavor."
Booklist, Starred Review
"The allegory seems to have grown slowly and surely, so much folk feeling does it have along with its symbolism and satire. Beautifully and clearly written, the story can be read aloud with pleasure."
