EAST O' THE SUN AND WEST O' THE MOON

A long overdue new edition of an old favorite, adhering to the classic Dasent translation of Asbjrnsen and Moe's Norwegian, with minor adjustments that improve flow and readability. Harking back to Cupid and Psyche, the tale concerns the beauteous daughter of a poor farmer who goes off with a White Bear to enrich her family. Her forbidden peep at him in his princely form destroys all hope of ending his enchantment until she bravely travels ``east of the sun...'' to rescue him from a pack of trolls. This wondrous tale is brilliantly matched by Lynch's elegant yet accessible watercolors. Breaking up the long text, his varied layouts make every page a delight, while the different perspectives, from close-ups to vast panoramas, can be breathtaking. With a traditional medieval setting, the illustrations depict satisfyingly ugly trolls and noble winds (the latter dramatically sculpted from clouds), and range in tone from warm family scenes to the dark, brooding wood. The best edition now available. Bravo! (Folklore/Picture Book. 4+)