BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS

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, backlit 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. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-10)