Maggie Mab and the Bogey Beast

This highly readable retelling of a traditional English folktale stars kind-hearted Maggie Mab, ``poor as the sound of a tin bell,'' who lives alone. After discovering an iron pot filled with gold coins that is thrice magically transformed, she at last finds a bogey beast who takes her for the ride of her life. Maggie's uncomplaining, generous spirit saves her in the end; rather than be tricked, she earns three gold coins with which she buys provisions for herself and for her neighbors--one coin remains to remind her always of her adventure. Carey's language, with its occasional appropriately inverted sentence constructions, is carefully attuned to the world of fairy tales, as is her collaborator's brush. With obvious influence by such illustrators as Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, first-timer Westerman contributes fanciful pictures to Carey's fey prose. In a palette of rich blues, greens and violets, she masterfully draws frolicsome sprites, droll faces and ebullient action. A graceful work of fantasy. Ages 4-8. (May)