The Firebird - Softcover

This is not the story made familiar by the ballet, but a related tale in which the firebird figures mostly at the outset, when one of its feathers is found by a huntsman who presents it to his king--a tyrant whose response is to send the poor fellow off to fetch the bird, which he is able to do with the advice of his admirable talking horse. But the huntsman's success only stimulates the king's greed, and he sends the man on mission after mission (a princess; her wedding dress), with dire threats in case of failure. Finally, the king's scheme to kill the huntsman backfires, the king dies in his stead, and the huntsman gets the princess. Hastings's brisk, lightly quizzical retelling is engagingly complemented by Cartwright's boldly stylized art. His statuesque figures are amusingly at odds with their lantern- jawed, large-nosed faces; the collage-like arrangements of areas of vibrant color are especially appropriate for groups. A lively addition to folklore collections. (Folklore/Picture book. 5-10) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Grade 1-4-- Sophisticated illustrations and a witty telling result in a slightly different interpretation of this classic Russian folktale. Aided by his wise horse, a not-so-smart huntsman traps the magical Firebird and marries beautiful Princess Vasilisa. Staying fairly true to the tale collected by Alexander Afanasyev in the 19th century, Hastings emphasizes the sly humor and ironic ending in which a greedy king comes to a bad end. Cartwright's stylized illustrations make excellent use of the subtle range of colors possible in oil paint. He creates a sense of distance by layering paint in an almost collagelike manner; an interesting texture is achieved by reducing haystacks and leaves to simple repeated patterns. Although the pictures may resemble northern Europe more than old Russia, this graceful retelling has strong visual appeal. --Denise Anton Wright, Illinois State University, Normal
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.