MAGGIE MAB AND THE BOGEY BEAST
adapted by Valerie Scho Carey & illustrated by Johanna Westerman
With an excellent feel for the rhythms and flavor of oral telling, Carey recounts a northern English tale about a woman as ``poor as the sound of a tin bell'' but with the gift of seeing the bright side. After finding a pot of gold in her path, she remarks cheerfully on her good fortune when it changes to silver, iron, and then stone; even when it becomes a ``bogey beast'' (he looks like an emaciated horse), she rides it without complaint- -thus earning, as reward for her good humor, enough riches for a lifetime. In a strong debut, Westerman emphasizes nocturnal tones of glowing purple and turquoise; she adds a few mischievous wee folk and depicts Maggie as slim and agile (albeit old), while her roses, foxgloves, and daffodils bloom in improbable conjunction. An attractive setting for an entertaining story. (Folklore/Picture book. 5+)