The Mapmaker's Daughter

In this feminist revisionist fairy tale, a mapmaker's daughter who longs for adventure finally is granted her wish. The king's son has been captured by a witch, and she sets out to save him. In a neat twist on tradition, the ending finds Suchen--after handily rescuing the handsome prince--not marrying her quarry and living happily ever after, but rather embarking on a new adventure. Many of the customary elements of fairy tales are included here--a dangerous quest, three magic talismans, a witch's castle where hapless explorers are held prisoner--but Helldorfer's story is fresh and original, and in Suchen she has provided an engaging and dauntless heroine. Hunt's ( Illuminations ) intricate, bordered illustrations, set against an Arabian Nights backdrop, provide an exotic flavor. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)