Digging Up the Past

Wishbone remains one of the cleverest concepts in children's publishing — a lovable Jack Russell terrier who imagines himself as the heroes of classic literature — and this sixth installment uses that device to introduce young readers to Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle. The dual narrative, bouncing between Wishbone's neighborhood and Irving's folklore, keeps the pacing lively and makes a 19th-century American tale genuinely approachable for seven- to eleven-year-olds. The real strength is that kids get genuine exposure to a literary classic without it feeling like homework. The caveat: if your child never watched the PBS show, some of the charm may not land as well, and the Rip Van Winkle retelling is a creative adaptation rather than a faithful one.