Czech-Canadian artist and author Ludmila Zeman here concludes her Sindbad Trilogy, begun in Sindbad: From the Tales of the Thousand and One Nights and continued in Sindbad in the Land of Giants. Sindbad the Sailor continues to relate his adventures to his guest, Sindbad the porter, explaining how he took his final voyage, accompanying a ship that sailed to China. Shipwrecked upon his return journey, he found himself enslaved by a crew of elephant hunters, but eventually won both his freedom and his heart's desire, in reward for his kind act in sparing a baby elephant...

Like its predecessors, Sindbad's Secret pairs an exciting adventure story with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. Although Zeman does not name China or India in her narrative, it is clear that these are the locations of Sindbad's final adventures, before he eventually returned to Baghdad and settled down. The ending here is heartwarming, emphasizing that, while adventure may beckon, and may provide excitement and wealth, home and family eventually represent a safe haven and true joy. The accompanying artwork is intensely detailed and ornate, with beautiful decorative borders and a rich color palette. I've long been an admirer of Zeman's trilogy of picture-books retelling the epic of Gilgamesh, so I am happy to have finally tracked down these three Sindbad retellings. Recommended to readers who enjoyed the first two of Zeman's books about Sindbad, as well as to anyone seeking children's adaptations of stories from The Arabian Nights. ( )

Fantastic images and a fun story accompanied by cultural geometry ( )