cover image The Lady and the Unicorn

The Lady and the Unicorn

Cynthia Birrer. Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, $12.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-688-04037-6

Near a prince's castle in France, where the morning air is scented with roses and the evening breezes are sweet with the fragrance of night-blooming jasmine, the lovely maiden Teresa meets the mysterious unicorn. Only because she has a kind heart can she see him. This elegant medieval taleof how the lady's love undoes an evil spell and turns the unicorn into a handsome princeis retold with grace and simplicity. Birrer's rich, flower-strewn backgrounds are scattered with animals, birds and humorous touches as the story unfolds in well-chosen scenes. Both background and border art harmonize with the style of the tale, yet avoid a too stiffly stylized composition. Ages 5-8. (March)