THE BLIZZARD'S ROBE

Sabuda (Christmas Alphabet, 1994, etc.) illustrates this original tale of the origin of the northern lights with spread-filling, eye-catching batik art. Although her village is being terrorized by a brutal blizzard, when a young seamstress, Teune, accidentally destroys its robe, and therefore its power, she braves the anger of her people to create a beautiful replacement. In return, the blizzard leaves the sky full of dancing lights. Blizzard, depicted as a great scowling mask, swirls commandingly through marbled, multi-hued skies, but the robe, with its fur-trimmed, vividly-colored panels, and strong geometric designs, is the book’s visual centerpiece, setting the stage for a glorious light show at the end. Matching striking illustrations to a plot in which the creative impulse must be served at the expense of both personal and public safety, Sabuda offers a story as provocative as it is mighty. (Picture book. 7-9)