"The copper braid of Shannon O'Shea was unbraided one fall . . . " begins this lilting picture book in rhyme about one girl's amazing head of hair. As a party of willing sprites start to unbraid the Irish lass's long, long red hair, they-and readers, too-are amazed at what they find.

Tangled in there are wonders from rubies and diamonds to honking geese and even a miniature sailing ship, not to mention flora and fauna and beasts of every stripe. With words that roll off the tongue and gorgeous artwork brimming with imps, artifacts, and animals, this book invites children to enter a world where their imaginations can run as wild as Shannon's unruly curls.