Beatrice has the best little pony but someone has been messing with it. She goes to the local bread maker who can explain things not easily explained and asks for help. He tells her its a lutin. And given time he can help her. She doesn't have time and decides to think for herself. She ends of standing up to and capturing the lutin. ( )

Clever Beatrice returns for her second adventure, this time confronting a mischievous lutin - a hobgoblin of the French folkloric tradition - who is riding her pony Treffle ragged every night. Determined to put an end to this, Beatrice consults Monsieur Le Pain, the local bread-maker and expert on "All Things Not Easily Explained." But it is Beatrice herself (not surprisingly) who comes up with a plan...

Margaret Willey's Clever Beatrice tales, of which there are three, are inspired by the French Canadian traditions of northern Michigan, and feature an intelligent, likable young heroine. Accompanied by Heather M. Solomon's engaging, collage-like illustrations, any one of them would make for an excellent story-hour selection. ( )