El Sastrecillo Valiente

K-Gr 4-This lushly illustrated version of the well-known folktale will fascinate young readers. In it, the boastful young tailor manages to broker the swatting of flies into a wondrous tale of valor that leads him through a series of challenges and ultimately wins him the hand of the fair maiden and a kingdom. The German is skillfully rendered into Spanish and the fanciful illustrations, reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch, will captivate readers. Fantastical creatures composed of odd assortments of elements cause a delightful cognitive dissonance castles built on the back of a cow, elegant ladies in medieval gowns wearing armored headdresses, knights mounted on snails, giant fish pulling creaking carts, and surreal architectural elements floating in space. This volume is almost handsome enough to be a coffee-table book. The text works as a story-time selection for younger children and as a challenging independent read for older ones. Highly recommended for all libraries and bookstores. Maria Otero-Boisvert, Criticas