#581 of 1001 · March 4, 2022

The book of the day is Nancy Ekholm Burkert’s Valentine & Orson. Twin brothers are separated at birth. Valentine grows up in the royal court of King Pepin of France while Orson is raised in the forest by bears. When they meet in adulthood, they start as enemies but quickly become friends. So begins an entertaining saga replete with knights, giants, and the mysterious Brazen Head. Burkert cleverly presents the narrative through the framing device of a folk play performed by a sixteenth-century family acting troupe. Her expertly rhymed couplets in iambic pentameter and her dynamic illustrations bring the story’s antique setting vividly to life. A note for folklore enthusiasts: this narrative is drawn from the Carolingian Cycle (also known as the Matter of France), a medieval collection of legends, tales, and poems telling of Charlemagne and other heroes of French history. #medieval #france #french #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #classicchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks