The Girl Who Wanted to Hunt: A Siberian Tale

When the Black Death takes Anga's mother, Anga's father, Adiga, marries Unin, an evil, lazy woman who taunts Anga for wanting to hunt instead of learning household chores. After a tiger kills Adiga, Unin's cruelty escalates, culminating in an attempt on Anga's life. Anga escapes, following a moonbeam up to the moon from which she ``shines her soft light in the eyes of sleeping children. And if she sees tears in a child's eyes, she kisses them away.'' Although a hunter and avenger of her father's death, Anga is kind, nurturing and spiritually powerful. Emery Bernhard's (see Reindeer, reviewed below, for another Bernhard collaboration) smooth integration of both these roles makes Anga an estimable heroine, and Durga Bernhard's trademark, subtly embellished gouache illustrations reflect the same thoughtful resolution of opposing themes. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)