#716 of 1001 · July 17, 2022

Deep in the heart of summer, nature has come alive with the thrum of energy and mystical possibility. Wandering the shady woods at a time like this, one might expect to encounter fairies around every bend in the path. It is with this thought in mind that I present a new theme week, inspired by an ancient folk ballad: today commences seven adaptations of the tale of Tam Lin. Let us begin with a version written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak. Jennet MacKenzie, a fearless and headstrong young woman, pays a visit to her family’s ancestral home of Carterhaugh, despite warnings that the derelict castle is haunted. There, amid the lonely ruins, she meets Tam Lin, a handsome youth kidnapped by the mysterious Fair Folk and kept in a state of eternal youth in the land of the Ever-Fair, the kingdom inside the green hill. The two of them quickly fall in love, and Jennet boldly rescues Tam Lin from an unearthly procession of Faerie riders on Hallow’s Eve. But hers is no easy task, for she must then cling tightly to her beloved’s body as the haughty Queen of the Fey turns him into a ferocious lion, a constricting serpent, and a burning firebrand. In the end, Jennet’s determination overcomes the power of the fairies, and Tam Lin is released to a mortal life once more. Yolen’s powerful voice gives rise to a thrilling and richly descriptive text, accompanied by Mikolaycak’s dynamic and captivating illustrations. #fairy #fairies #love #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #classicchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks