Maildun the Voyager James Reeves. Illustrated by John Lawrence (Hamish Hamilton £1.25)
A moving and exciting retelling of the eleventh century folk-tale, Maildun's voyages to a series of fantastic islands, where he encounters strange beasts and unusual people are exotic, energetic and joyous. He finally learns forgiveness from a hermit on an isolated rock, and so is deterred from his original intention of avenging his father's murder. Duirun, who eventually records the story, discovers the secret of eternal youth by bathing in an enchanted lake on one of the islands, " but showed himself a true poet by keeping silent about what his heart had discovered until such time as he could find words to make it known." The illustrations are unexceptional and sometimes do not tie in with the text.
A Book of Charms and Changelings Ruth Manning-Sanders. Illustrated by Robin Jacques (Methuen £1.25) Fairy babies are not the only changelings — there is a changeling raven in the Red Indian story, The Ogre, The Sun and the Raven and a mysterious girl in the Chinese tale, Chien-Nang. Charms include amulets, a cap to make the wearer invisible, and transformation spells. These stories contain the essential elements of folklore, fear and wonder, and Ruth Manning-Sanders warns us thdt " ... it doesn't do to insult such powerful beings . . . we must do good and not ill . . . if we remember this simple maxim we are safe." Children will become
readily absorbed into the magical world with which Robin Jacques' illustrations harmonise entirely.
Heracles the Strong Ian Serraillier. Illustrated by Graham Humphreys (Hamish Hamilton E1.25)
A story of terrifying monsters and impossible tasks overcome by Heracles for the timid, ungrateful king, Eurystheus. Ian Serraillier retells this famous Greek legend in fine dramatic style with warmth of feeling for human situations. The capture of King Diomede's four-winged chariot horses, however, who are vanquished in a single paragraph, is too fast-moving; and Prometheus, released from chains and eagles pecking at his liver, after a thousand years, offers no comment. The illustrations are tough and masculine (and none less so that those of Deianeira the beautiful daughter of Oineu0. Nine or ten year olds who don't mind monsters will enjoy this book.
Stories for Eight Year Olds edited by Sara and Stephen Corrin. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (Faber E1.25) Children of this age have an emotional need for stories of heroes. This excellent selection of tales from different countries provides for it. They range from the traditional Gawaine and the Green Knight to Kipling's gripping story of the courageous mongoose Rikhi-Tikki-Tavi. Because of their dramatic tension these stories are well suited to be read aloud. Shirley Hughes's illustrations are fine black and white drawings, but are too sparsely distributed for the eight year old reading alone.
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