The Lost Merbaby and The Wishing Nut Tree

Two generous full-length fairy tales, with splendidly vivid silhouette illustrations by the author's sister, make up this welcome revival from an under-estimated storyteller. We need the variety and vitality of fairy tales, and these are beautiful examples from a mistress of the spell-weaving art. There are many versions of the Merbaby story: in this one the fisherman and his wife who adopt the baby from the sea are haunted by the grief of those who've lost the baby; the second story is the one about the old man who leaves each of his three sons a wishing nut. Both are right for reading aloud; seven to nines will love to re-read them alone. A super addition to our stock of fairy tales. I just wish Puffin had chosen a more attractive cover.