The Nightwood

by Robin Muller

Overview

Based on the Celtic folktale of Tamlynne, The Nightwood tells the story of the young daughter of the Earl of March, who is enticed into the nearby wood by the haunting strains of Elfin music. Inside the mysterious forest, Elaine meets Tamlynne, an enchanted young knight in the court of the Elfin Queen. Elaine and Tamlynne fall in love, but in order for Tamlynne to escape the elves, Elaine must pay a terrible price. In the end, mortal love proves stronger than the power of the Elfin Queen and the two lovers are set free. Beautifully illustrated by Robin Muller, this edition of The Nightwood is sure to enchant fairytale lovers of all ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770491250
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	10/25/2011
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

ROBIN MULLER is an internationally acclaimed author and illustrator of children's books. He received the Studio Magazine Award for Illustration (silver) for The Nightwood, the Governor General's Award for The Magic Paintbrush, and the 1995 IODE Award for The Sorcerer's Apprentice. He was a medalist for the Ezra Jack Keats Memorial Award. Robin Muller lives in Toronto.

Editorial Reviews

"The narrative is rich and true to the language of the period, but it is through his illustrations that Muller actually takes his readers to the Nightwood, shows them the magic of the elfin world and its effect on the mortal world, shows them Elaine's beauty, steadfastness and bravery, and shows them the power of the Elfin Queen. . . . if read aloud, or recommended to a confident reader, it will surely be enjoyed."
- CM Magazine

From the Publisher

In this lush retelling of the Celtic tale of Tam Lin, the daughter of the Earl of March is drawn by music to the forest that has become the home of the dreaded Elfin Queen. When she picks a rose from the Elfin Queen's bush, the young, enchanted knight who guards the bush is summoned. They dance and, of course, fall in love. To break the spell and rescue her love, Elaine must find her knight on All Hallow's Eve and pull him from his horse—or die. When Elaine succeeds despite his fearsome transformations, the Elfin Queen is furious: "I was foolish to think that no power was greater than the queen of the Elves. I was wrong. The power of mortal love is greater!" The striking cover and bordered, romantic illustrations on flaxen paper are reminiscent of the Dillons in palette, line and use of lighting. Tamer than the virulent version by Jane Yolen and Charles Mikolaycak (Tam Lin, 1990), this does not include Elaine's pregnancy, instead relying on the artwork to picture her pining away for her love. (Folktale. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews