RAPUNZEL

This rendition of Rapunzel hews very closely to the original, a familiar romantic adventure: Rapunzel's father is caught nipping rampion from the witch's garden to satisfy his pregnant wife's craving, and agrees to surrender the child to the witch to guarantee his wife's health. The witch trundles Rapunzel deep into the woods, and the old story plays out to its happy, hard-earned ending. What makes the book such a welcome addition to the fairy-tale thicket is Dus°kov†'s artwork. The watercolors are soft but dramatic and transporting: The medieval town feels quite real, as does Rapunzel's remote and faintly sinister tower, and the action is compellingly depicted, e.g., the witch's scramble up the braid and the prince's terrible jump. Bell's translation is ideal for reading aloud. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8)