The Nixie of the Mill-Pond and Other European Stories (Cautionary Fables and Fairytales)

Editors McDonald and Ashwin pull together nine black-and-white adaptations of European fairy tales, from well-known stories like "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Puss in Boots" to more obscure titles such as "Tatterhood" and "Bisclavret." Because the tales were created by different artists, they vary in style. The wordless "Hamelin's Piper" shines with its sophisticated yet fanciful watercolors, while the art and presentation skew young in other entries ("The Singing Bone"), especially those that evoke manga or children's animation. Transitions between stories are usually seamless, and the paneling is almost always clearly delineated. But there are exceptions, and some tales prove difficult to read at times owing to the use of full bleeds or minimal interior gutters; "Kid Brother" is particularly cluttered and fluid. Although younger readers may be intrigued, all of the stories maintain at least a trace of the sinister edge typically found in fairy tales, with death and violence—a nose bitten off, a friend killed—portrayed to various degrees of realism and explicitness. Many, though not all, of the stories feel modern because of the use of familiar, contemporary language. VERDICT This enjoyable but optional collection is recommended for libraries where fairy tales are highly sought after.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst Public Library, IL

Ten indie comics creators reimagine nine folktales, most well-known, in this robust introduction to classic European and Russian stories. Some, such as Mary Cagle's caricatured "Jack and the Beanstalk," are relatively faithful to their original renditions; others' creators add their own flair, as in Kory Bing's "The Nixie of the Mill-Pond," in which the Nixie is portrayed as a grotesque creature rather than a pre-Raphaelite beauty. The breadth of art styles, all rendered in black-and-white, complements the stories' variety. In "The Singing Bone," K.C. Green's antic-filled expressions lend cruel hilarity to the tale of fratricide; Kate and Shaggy Shanahan's "Tatterhood" telling uses an energetic line to portray two sisters with opposite personalities; and Jose Pimienta's "Hamelin's Piper" weaves a silent story in sweeping visuals. This collection succeeds as an introduction to both the sometimes brutal stories and the wide variety of comics styles. A table of contents notes each tale's provenance. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10-12. (May)

"Hilarious and awesome . . . to my surprise there's not a stinker in the book." — GOOD COMICS FOR KIDS