The Twelve Wild Geese

Faulkner (The Moon Clock) treads familiar ground here, putting his stamp on the classic fairy tale. A queen longs for a daughter, even offering to trade away all 12 of her sons for the fulfillment of her wish. When Her Highness gives birth to a much-desired girl, a fairy spirits the princes away, turning them into wild geese. Years later, Princess Rose learns that only she has the power to rescue her dozen siblings from their feathered fate. Unfortunately, this retelling is choppy and disjointed, lacking grace and distinctive imagery. The almost caricaturish ink and watercolor artwork, with its oddly bright and somewhat garish palette, seems at odds with the timeless subject matter. Ages 5-9. (Mar.)