#975 of 1001 · April 2, 2023

Nearing the end of my thousand picture book posts, I cannot help but squeeze in one last Fairy Tale Theme Week. This one is devoted to my very favorite tale type, in which a determined heroine must save her lover from a magical curse—The Search for the Lost Husband. First up, László Gál supplies a handsome adaptation of East of the Sun & West of the Moon. A young girl agrees to marry a mysterious white bear in exchange for a gift of enormous wealth for her family. When she discovers that he is a human man under a terrible curse, she must follow him across the world to a castle east of the sun and west of the moon and rescue him from the clutches of a pack of hideous trolls. Gál’s elegant retelling and delightful drawings create an air of wonder and enchantment. A note for folklore enthusiasts: This tale comes from Norske Folkeeventyr, originally published in 1841 by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. #east #sun #west #moon #bear #castle #troll #trolls #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks