BABA YAGA AND VASILISA THE BRAVE
adapted by Marianna Mayer & illustrated by K.Y. Kraft
A complex and eventful Russian variant of the Cinderella story in which the stepmother sends the girl to the witch's house, where she performs seemingly impossible tasks with the help of a magical doll left her by her mother. In the tradition of Perrault, Mayer adopts a courtly tone, producing a graceful narrative that's appropriate to the opulent format here. Supplemented by elegantly embellished initials and ornamental borders, Craft's precise, rather static paintings derive their drama from the forest's dark shadows and the menacing details of Baba Yaga's visage and surroundings. The result is far less animated than Winthrop's version (Vasilissa the Beautiful, 1991, illustrated by Alexander Koshkin); still, a satisfactory addition. (Folklore/Picture book. 5-11)