TAM LIN

The prolific Yolen's latest is a pretty tale based on Scottish lore: Young Jennet MacKenzie vows that she'll reclaim Carterhaugh, a great estate fallen into disrepair, for her family. At 16 she gains her inheritance, and by plucking the one red rose at the decrepit manor summons Tam Lin, a young man who disappeared generations earlier. Together they defeat the magic of the Faery Queen, who hold Tam Lin in her spell. Yolen's retelling is lilting and fair, but awkwardly long for this format: most of the action occurs within just two pages. In consequence, seven of Mikolaycak's atmospheric, moody, elegantly structured illustrations are given to showing the couple in various poses. The result—despite the excellent efforts of both collaborators—is somewhat stultifying, especially for such a vivid story.