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#Post#: 40--------------------------------------------------
Swedish Folk Tales by Polly Lawson
By: Alfred Raeburne Date: October 27, 2014, 12:23 pm
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HTML http://www.amazon.com/Swedish-Folk-Tales-Polly-Lawson/dp/0863154573/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
'Tales of trolls and kings, princesses, magicians and giants are
illustrated by the acclaimed Swedish artist, John Bauer. His
stylised images seem to suggest the universal ... they are
extremely evocative. His use of muted tones means his rare
flashes of colour -- bluebells, or a golden-haired princess --
seem to illuminate his dark forest scenes with a magical glow.
His big-nosed, good-natured trolls are also a delight (fans of
Brian Fround's Dark Crystal will adore them). Adults will enjoy
these pictures just as much as children.' -- Dawn Casey,
Armadillo, Autumn 2004 'When John Bauer was tragically drowned
at the age of only 36, he had already become Sweden's best-known
illustrator of children's books. This handsome volume shows why.
These stories are remarkably contemporary in their continuing
appeal and their attractions were cleverly identified and
enhanced by Bauer.' -- Mary Medlicott, School Librarian, Spring
2005 'This is real storytelling. The stories represent a
hitherto-neglected tradition of fairy tale, in bright readable
English, which the added bonus of Bauer's pictures for those who
respond to the strength of his compositions and the humour of
his line.' -- Books for Keeps, March 2005 'John Bauer is one of
the world's greatest illustrators of fairy tales. His precise
and beautiful work has been compared with that of Durer and
Holbein. This book will appeal equally to both children and
adults.' -- Folk & Fairy Tales: A Book Guide, Booktrust, Winter
2004 'A delightful anthology brimming with trolls, giants,
villains and heroines. The stories, which are full of humour,
are stunningly illustrated. A book to treasure.' -- Juno: A
Natural Approach to Family Life, Autumn 2004 'This superb
collection of traditional fairy tales from Sweden is fantastic
value, and you'll treasure the book for the illustrations alone.
My kids can't get enough of it -- and it's very popular with mum
and dad, too. It contains over fifty folk tales of varying
length, and the breathtaking pictures are by John Bauer, a high
acclaimed artist whose style is reminiscent of Carl Larsson. 'If
it's possible, the quality of the stories even outdoes the
pictures. Like most folk tales, they work on a number of levels:
they are funny and exciting, full of adventure and magic, with
clever and resourceful children outwitting cruel, ugly trolls.
Having read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, my son
considers himself an authority on the ways of trolls, and the
current popularity of Tolkien helps make these stories very
accessible. 'On a deeper level, the stories deal with
psychological dilemmas and conundrums faced by humans since the
beginning of time. I'll personally never forget the king who
wouldn't allow any other human within two arm's lengths of him,
because he believed them all to have vicious claws; until a tiny
girl overcomes his fear by insisting on caressing him. 'Swedish
Folk Tales would be a fantastic gift for any family. Because
they are from Sweden, the stories have the added benefit of
being completely new to most British parents -- and to children
old enough to read the tales for themselves.' -- Jo Rogers,
Families Magazine (www.familiesonline.co.uk) 'These stories are
entertaining, well told and have been translated into readable
English. The illustrations are excellent, highly imaginative and
reminiscent in style to the owrk of Arthur Rackham and Edmund
Dulak. Children between 7 and 11 will enjoy these stories.' --
Peter Heathfield, New View, Spring 2005 'Bauer's characteristic
world of lakes, mountains, caves and trees is dark and shadowy,
but often broken by bright beams of light. Sometimes the light
shines forth from a particular person -- a long-haired princess
or a tiny innocent child. Sometimes it radiates from a flying
horse or the moon in the sky. But never far away are the trolls,
knobbly, clumsy-looking creatures with beady eyes and great fat
noses. They are like embodiments of the land itself, knobbly and
knotty and gnarled.' -- Mary Medlicott, School Librarian, Spring
2005
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