#978 of 1001 · April 5, 2023

The gifts we collect along the way will aid us on our journey. Here in the very heart of Search for the Lost Husband Week, I am shifting from East of the Sun, West of the Moon adaptations to other variants. Tanya Robyn Batt and @nicolettececcoli create an appealing folkloric blend in The Princess and the White Bear King. A princess dreams of a golden crown, which she later discovers in the possession of a white bear. She becomes his wife but soon loses him to a terrible curse when she looks upon his true form by candlelight in their bedchamber. She must follow him in a difficult quest, traversing strange lands, climbing a glass mountain with iron claws on her hands and feet, and outwitting a shrewd troll queen. Batt’s engaging prose and Ceccoli’s stylized illustrations bring the tale ably to life. A note for folklore enthusiasts: In the back matter, Batt provides a detailed description of her influences, listing “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”, “The Black Bull of Norroway”, and “White Bear King Valemon” as sources. In fact, the bulk of the plot—the opening dream, the three gifts (tablecloth, cup, and scissors), the blacksmith’s family, the iron claws, the troll queen’s test to see whether the prince is truly sleeping—is drawn directly from “White Bear King Valemon”, with the other two tales providing minimal additional material. #princess #white #bear #king #crown #castle #troll #queen #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks