The Emperor and the Nightingale

Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale of a jaded ruler who learns to appreciate simple beauty receives a vivacious if loquacious treatment in this handsome picture book. For the most part, Waters spins the familiar story with aplomb; her prose, both pungent and humorous (as when she describes the palace made of fine porcelain ""which did not make it the most comfortable place to live in as you always had to be rather careful where you sat""), adheres closely to Andersen's original plot and structure. Occasionally, however, the narrative gets flabby (e.g., when the kitchen maid leads the Emperor's courtiers to the nightingale: ""By now the great trail of people had reached the forest and quite a few of them were looking decidedly nervous at the thought of walking in under the trees, which looked very forbidding in the dusk""). Birkbeck's meticulous illustrations take full advantage of the exotic setting in ancient China. He dedicates as much attention to the lush imperial garden planted in a riot of colors as he does a courtyard's-eye view of the hustle and bustle throughout the palace's many rooms--kitchen and treasure-house, bedroom and office. And Andersen's message is as fitting today as when he first wrote of the nightingale's healing powers. Ages 8-11. (Nov.)