#935 of 1001 · February 21, 2023

Alan Marks spins an otherworldly yarn in the magical and mystical Childe Roland. A gaggle of children is playing near a church. They toss their ball back and forth until they accidentally throw it over the roof. Burd Ellen runs around the church widdershins (that is, contrary to the motion of the sun) and disappears. Her brother, Childe Roland, consults with the wizard Merlin, who sends him off on a journey to the Dark Tower of Elfland. Along the way, the boy must strike off the head of anyone that speaks to him. After a fierce battle with the King of the Elves, Childe Roland rescues his sister and the two return safely home. With an eerie narrative and moody washes of color, Marks takes readers on an unforgettable journey. A note for folklore enthusiasts: This story is adapted from English Fairy Tales (1890) by Joseph Jacobs. Jacobs himself drew from an 1814 publication by Robert Jamieson, who was in turn inspired by a Scottish ballad. #church #dark #tower #elf #elves #king #brother #sister #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks