#981 of 1001 · April 8, 2023

At last we triumph, all spells dispatched, all evil destroyed. As we reunite with our lost loves, let Laurel Long and @jackieogburn supply one last entry in Search for the Lost Husband Week: The Lady and the Lion. A young woman is obliged to marry a lion as penance for her father’s incursion on his castle. The animal soon turns out to be an enchanted prince, but his wife aggravates the curse by allowing him to be struck with a sliver of candlelight. From there, she pursues him all across the world, rescues him from a shapeshifting dragon enchantress, and escapes on the back of a wondrous griffin. The adventurous and uplifting text, co-written by Long and Ogburn, is wonderfully enhanced by Long’s swirling, glowing oil paintings. A note for folklore enthusiasts: This tale was recorded by the Brothers Grimm in the second volume of the first edition of Kinder- und Hausmärchen, published in 1815. #lady #lion #dove #sun #moon #sea #dragon #love #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks