Classic Norweigian folktales are illustrated by Nielsen's carefully composed line and wash drawings with much success. Nielsen clearly draws inspiration from Aubrey Beardsley, Arthur Rackham, and Japanese woodcut printers, but makes his own unique style from the careful use of colour and shading. For such simplistic compositions, Nielsen imbues them with a wonderful sense of movement, which is what gives his pieces a flare that earns him a place alongside the greatest illustrators of his age. ( )

The author's version of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," a folktale I read from this volume, is generally how I remember hearing it as a child. This story is one of the earliest I remember my mother reading to me, and my memory holds a magical spot for its telling. Although the story to me now is pretty pathetic, involving a beautiful girl and a bear turned prince, the mystical elements of the north country and the white bear continue to draw me in.

Curricular connections: There are many retellings of this story, including a lengthy YA novel called East. Students could compare and contrast different versions of the story or make up their own. They could also critique the story, looking for characteristic elements of folktales. ( )

Those are great stories with great morals. My only complaint is that so many of the stories sounded like they were variations of stories that came before. ( )

There is no other illustrator like Kaye Nielsen. ( )

beautiful pictures, nice thick paper, but I don't think I've ever held such a STIFF book in my hands!
The stories are rather weird, with lots of repetition (which I suppose children love) but the wonderful illustrations make this a treasure. ( )