2.5 stars, I think. My sister didn't care for this English language version of a Hungarian children's story. She said that it "had too many words," and the thing just didn't grab her. My niece liked the story and said that it was somehow familiar to her. It did sort of have a timeless ring to it.
My nephew and I were more ambivalent about this book. We didn't love the story, but we weren't put off by it either. He and I both enjoyed the illustrations, though, and derived most of our enjoyment from them.