#720 of 1001 · July 21, 2022

Tam Lin Week gallops ahead, leading us to the rollicking delights of The Red Cloak by Betsy James. Here Jan and Tam are the best of friends, raised together since birth in a village by a lake. One fateful day, Tam is spirited away by elves. A whole year passes, and Jan goes to the wisest old woman in town, who gives her a magical red cloak. On Midsummer Eve, the brave girl stages a daring rescue, pulling Tam off his horse and holding him tightly while he turns into a lump of ice, a blazing flame, and many other treacherous shapes. Finally, the elves vanish, leaving the two friends in peace. With her simple text and bold-colored illustrations, James offers a unique twist on the narrative of the classic ballad—the two lead characters are children, their love platonic but still strong enough to withstand the mystic menace of the elves. #elf #elves #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