Leif's Saga: A Viking Tale

There's a sure glint of magic in this framed tale, in which a Viking boat-builder tells his rapt daughter the story of Leif Eiriksson's discovery of Vinland. Eiriksson, he tells her, returned home from exploring this lush land with his boat filled with bounty, including a supply of sturdy oak. Though Eiriksson longed to revisit Vinland, family responsibilities kept him in Greenland until ""his dream faded like a snowflake melts into the sea"" and he had to sell his oak-the very wood the boat builder is now using. Concluding that ""the splinters of one man's lost dream were being wrought anew,"" Hunt (Illuminations) gracefully intertwines an appealing fictional scenario with a compelling historical re-creation. As accomplished an artist as a raconteur, he convincingly depicts both settings in stunning watercolor and acrylic art, with plenty of period detail to thrill Viking aficionados. Calling on a soothing palette of variegated greens and blues, he contrasts the verdant land with the expansive, beckoning sea. Ages 5-9. (Apr.)