Joshua E. Hanft

Works of the Great Illustrated Classics series are designed to introduce young readers to classic works, acquainting them with literature they are too young to appreciate but hopefully affecting their future reading tastes. While the present work seems true to Howard Pyles' classic version, I found the story itself off-putting and less than entertaining. In the constant battles and physical contests, I found it hard to tell the "good" contestants from the "bad" ones, or to see any reason why we should root for one over the other. Meanwhile, those deemed "good" are sure that their "god" is on their side; presumably their supposedly evil opponents likewise invoke a deity. In such ways, the tale reflects warfare through the ages, though that message will prove too subtle for young readers. Beyond these concerns, the story is well illustrated and adequately presented, and may excite 8 year old boys into tackling Pyles' original someday, with its traditional gender roles, glorification of violent conflict, and nationalistic flavor.… (altro)