BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS: A Norwegian Tale

A gifted storyteller whose most recent adaptation was Bearhead (1991) relays his own version of the popular tale about a kind and canny youngest son who is rewarded for chopping down a giant magical oak tree that is troubling the king and then digging him a well. In candid fashion, Kimmel explains the changes that evolved in his own oral tellings--miniaturizing the magical ax and shovel and having the boorish brothers chased away by dogs instead of coming to a violent end--the lively, well-honed result is just right for contemporary audiences. Root's understated art serves the text perfectly. Most scenes seem to be set near sundown, with dramatic long shadows, becklit figures, and a dramatic, luminous sky; careful examination reveals much to satisfy the reader who wants to know more, but without the insistence of flashier art, clamoring for attention. Well crafted by all concerned, a fine addition.