#223 of 1001 · March 11, 2021

If you’re searching for a fairy tale replete with danger, deception, and dark magic, I’ve got just the thing: The Enchanted Book by Janina Porazińska and Jan Brett, a Polish story that prizes intelligence, education, and hard work above all things. A miller’s three daughters each have the chance to learn from an extraordinarily educated old woman who visits their mill. The eldest and middle girls fritter away their opportunity, but the youngest learns to read with facility. This handy skill enables her to decipher a book of arcane spells and save her sisters from the grip of a wily enchanter. Porazińska’s text, translated by Bożena Smith, sings with expressive phrasing and sharp dialogue. Brett executes her vivid watercolor art in a graceful classic style that evokes the grand tradition of the golden age of fairy tale illustration. She shows restraint in framing each image with folk-art-inspired patterns, rather than following her usual practice of inserting small vignettes into the borders, which might distract from the potency of the main story. A note for folklore enthusiasts: This tale was originally published in Za Górami...Za Lasami... a 1954 Polish folklore collection whose title translates to “Beyond the Mountains...Beyond the Woods...”, a common opening phrase in traditional Polish oral storytelling. The plot is a clear example of the “Maiden Rescues Her Sisters” type, best known by the Brothers Grimm variant “Fitcher’s Bird”. #enchanted #magic #poland #polish #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks