Aesop’s Fables

In his afterword, Cech (Sterling’s Classic Fairy Tale Collection series) credits Aesop’s staying power to an ability to “make a point with economy, common sense, and sharp wit.” Unfortunately, while the first two qualities are evident in this collection, there is little of the third, particularly in the often overwrought morals that cap off each entry (“Keep a steady pace, and even the slow can win the race,” follows “The Tortoise and the Hare”). These retellings of the familiar fables (36 in total) feel schematic, as if they’re the notes for better versions to come. All of this puts a heavy burden on Jarrie’s (ABC USA ) folk art–styled acrylic panels, and these consistently handsome, quirky images almost succeed in carrying the day. Jarrie’s flattened perspectives suggest a world where the moral order is clear and fools are not suffered gladly; his animal portraits exude both a totemic charisma and a comically misguided single-mindedness. But with so many Aesop adaptations available, this one isn’t likely to stand out. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)