It's easy to forget how often folktales make no sense at all.In the 10 myths and fairy tales adapted in this graphic novel, a boy hatches out of a peach, a hairbrush transforms into a mountain, and a polar bear grows a coat of feathers. The surreal images suit Phillips perfectly. He's especially good at drawing the hawks made of ice who appear in "Thor and the Frost Giants." Unless readers are experts on folklore, they may not be certain if the creatures were borrowed from the original stories or invented for the book. His sense of composition may remind some people of the legendary P. Craig Russell, with its use of open space and vivid, graduated colors. (The blue skies are particularly lovely.) But the character designs are odder and more abstract than Russell's, and every story is drawn in its own style. The ogres in the Japanese story of "Momotaro," fittingly enough, resemble the monsters in classic Japanese prints. (Outside of "Momotaro," the stories' primary human characters are generally white.) The visual storytelling, however, is sometimes confusing, and a few panels are poorly placed, throwing off the pacing.Even people who've read countless folktales will find something new and surprising in this collection, and they may discover that the stories are even stranger than they remembered. (Graphic folklore. 7-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Phillips (illustrator of the Heroes in Training series) offers a collection of fresh graphic adaptations of eight lesser-known European tales, as well as a Japanese tale and one featuring animals of the North American Arctic. With some selections, such as "Thor and the Frost Giants," Phillips instills a comical tone with somewhat slapstick art. In other tales, such as "Momotaro," a tale about a boy born from a peach, Phillips introduces manga elements to evoke the story's Japanese origin. Elsewhere, Phillips's rhythmic narrative tone has hints of Neil Gaiman, particularly in "The King of the Polar Bears." Each of the stories relies on specific color schemes, which embody the tale's themes, such as the abundant greens of "The Nixie in the Well," or the various yellows of "The Boy Who Was Never Afraid." Source notes for the tales would have been a welcome addition to this strong anthology. Ages 8-12. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Stories of magic and mayhem fill the colorful pages of Phillips' anthology of graphic adaptations of fairy tales and fables. Taken from the folklore of different countries, this collection focuses mostly on children battling vicious monsters and escaping from deadly traps, which makes the stories easily relatable for a middle-grade audience. Most young readers, and perhaps even some adults, will be unfamiliar with these selections, so it's a great and gentle introduction to the world of folklore. Nearly all of these are from European countries, however, with the exception of the Japanese story of Momotaro, which is a bit of a drawback, since those stories are so frequently covered elsewhere. Nevertheless, Phillips' illustrations move the stories forward along as quickly as possible in bright, oversize pages and figures drawn in a classic comics style. Watching his characters react to the magic and absurdity of the unreal situations is an utter delight. Phillips also brings his A game to the many action shots, so even those not interested in fairy tales will have something to gush over. A welcome addition to folklore collections.--Blenski, Peter Copyright 2018 Booklist

Gr 2-5-The subtitle of this collection will entice students seeking a spooky read, but the trolls and beasts portrayed are suitable even for younger elementary schoolers. Phillips retells 10 folktales from Japan, the United States, and several Eastern and Western European countries, with colorful, captivating, and action-packed illustrations. Children whose folktale repertoire is limited only to those depicted on film and screen will find the selections fresh and new. Yet readers are sure to find connections between these stories and their favorites. "Vasilisa the Brave," a Baba Yaga tale, reads like "Cinderella" with the evil stepmother and stepsisters mixed with the child abandonment elements of "Hansel and Gretel." Intriguingly, Vasilisa finds a magical helper in a talking doll from her dead mother. Folktales such as "The Boy Who Was Never Afraid" center on heroes who succeed thanks to determination, loyalty, and kindness. The protagonist in "Momotaro" has all that plus his mother's dumplings to help him on his quest. All but two of the entries feature kids as the valiant protagonists. And stories such as "The Devil Bridegroom," "Finn McCool," and "The Wawel Dragon" focus on capable female characters who use their smarts to outwit the enemy. VERDICT A great addition to growing graphic novel or folktale collections.-Maria O'Toole, Carroll -Manor -Elementary School, Adamstown, MD © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.