Michael Foreman's World of Fairy Tales

For fans of this gifted artist's glowing, imaginative watercolor paintings, this compendium of folktales, fairy tales, legends and creation myths is a treasure. Foreman ( Warboy ; The Angel and the Wild Animal ) has chosen 22 tales from around the world,and presented lyrical versions by such ``retellers'' as Madhur Jaffrey, Edna O'Brien, Arthur Ransome and Erik Haugaard. Each story begins with a delightful note by Foreman detailing incidents from his journeys in the regions represented; each introduction includes a small, dated painting--apparently from Foreman's sketchbook. These magical and sometimes mysterious pieces, along with the full-page and spot illustrations that grace the tales themselves, set this book above many similar collections. Beautifully designed, generously illustrated and highly readable, this volume will be enjoyed by readers young and old. All ages. (Oct.)