Singer is neither a literalist nor a crusader. He is first and foremost a storyteller. A major attribute of Singer's literary style is his mixture of reality and fantasy. Maurice Sendak's illustrations may help the reader visualize the nightmare experience of David in "The Devil's Trick," but Singer's prose—especially the concrete, deft strokes he uses to describe his characters and situations—is often a sufficient stimulus to the imagination.

With gentle humor, Singer describes the antics and predicaments of his fools and pokes fun at their foibles and follies.

The humor makes them appear less threatening or satirical than they might otherwise have been portrayed. A related gentleness characterizes Singer's depiction of children, for whom he shows a genuine love and affinity. Indeed, the childlike quality of his imagination and the directness of his approach make his stories appealing.to readers of every...