cover image The Hallowed Horse: A Folktale from India

The Hallowed Horse: A Folktale from India

Demi. Dodd Mead, $14.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-396-08908-7

In this adaptation of a folktale from India, a young king must find a mythical hallowed horse to aid him in his battle against a diabolical snake monster. In the meantime, a simple potter has befriended a wild foal, which is in reality the hallowed horse. The potter is sad to learn that the king needs his horse, but the horse assures him that he will visit frequently. Astride the horse, the king is victorious. Demi's artwork is so schematic that it tends to distract from, rather than enhance, the book's subject. The story is dull, and her prose can be rather wooden: ""All the other horses immediately slowed their pace and then they completely stopped.'' Ages 4-9. (November)