FAVORITE MEDIEVAL TALES
adapted by Mary Pope Osborne & illustrated by Troy Howell
Osborne and Howell (Favorite Norse Myths, 1996, etc.) reunite for these episodes from the lives of nine familiar mythical figures of the Middle Ages, among them Robin Hood, King Arthur, Roland, Sir Gawain, Finn MacCoul, and Beowulf. The retellings demonstrate a sure hand, and although there is little new material here, Osborne’s versions have an effortless, readable flow. Howell’s illustrations capture a feel for medieval pictures and borders, if not their exquisitely precise detail. Each story includes one full-page illustration; an illuminated plate containing the title, a quote from the source in the original language, and an English translation; and, often, a spot illustration. Extras such as the quotation and the back matter—definitions of terms, information about how English evolved, and more’set the volume apart: This is not just another book of stories, but a reference as well, one which may send interested readers in search of more information about the history, language, and art of the Middle Ages. (notes, chronology, bibliography, index) (Folklore. 8-12)