ABU AND THE 7 MARVELS

Really outstanding fairy tales please all ages, especially ones that pop out of magic bottles (or small press publishers) when you least expect them. Whimsical and diabolically clever, this sure-to-be classic follows a humble Persian boy, Abu, as he seeks to win the heart of lonely Princess Alicia, while jealous Grand Vizier Zardak, his rival for her affections, schemes to keep them apart. The evil Zardak convinces Alicia's father that Abu must first seek outrageous tokens (named by a very sleepy Royal Wizard) from the Seven Marvels of the World. Joining Abu on his possibly impossible quest are a cranky, moth-eaten has-been genie, who provides constant comic relief, and Abu's little brother, Mut, who tags along for the ride. Stout brings to stunning visual life the exotic Arabian Nights landscape populated by amazing creatures, in the best tradition of W.W. Denslow's original Oz illustrations as well as some of Arthur Rackham's soft-color work. Matheson (I Am Legend, etc.) imbeds some timeless moral lessons in a tale that never verges on the saccharine. In one Willy Wonka-ish episode, some children escape being transformed into Kandy Kids by the mean Candy Witch, who herself turns to candy: "Her horrid helpers, seeing this, leaped forward, howling, and began to break her into tiny bits. Scuttling away, they devoured the fragments with greedy smackings of their lips." Inspired by a story originally conceived by Matheson and William F. Nolan 40 years ago, this gem should not be missed. (Apr.)

Forecast:Matheson, one of the giants of the SF/fantasy field, and Stout, whose book The Little Blue Brontosaurus was the basis for the film The Land Before Time, make an irresistible combination. Conventional children's publishers may have passed on this story because it seemed old-fashioned, but astute filmmakers ought to recognize the potential here for an animated feature film in the irreverent tradition of Shrek.