The Traveling Musicians of Bremen

In a sometimes meandering, intermittently rhyming narrative, Page retells the Brothers Grimm tale about four animals who set out to make a new life for themselves after their masters reject them. More sophisticated than Hans Wilhelm's interpretation (reviewed above), Page's account introduces a number of words (obsolete, dulcible, despondent) that may prove difficult for many children. Denton's whimsical, somewhat fuzzy drawings also seem better geared to the older reader than are Wilhelm's more traditional pictures. Her setting, for example, is up-to-the-minute contemporary; she depicts the robbers as a stylish group, sporting campy hats and hairstyles. The prose is skillfully crafted, with clever rhythms and deft use of repetition. Despite its shortcomings for the younger set, this rendition presents well-matched text and artwork that aptly deliver the buffoonery of this classic caper. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)