From Publishers Weekly
Young Harald foils the hunters' attempts to capture the Great Stag in a haunting medieval tale. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3 The Great Stag is a legend in young Harald's medieval world, and one breath-stopping morning Harald fi nally sees it himself. Frighteningly, that's the very day the baron has de clared a hunt for the stag, with a prize for its capture. Harald decides to pro tect the stag by confusing the trail with deer droppings; then, covered with the scent, Harald briefly becomes one of the hunted. He is saved, though, by an old hunter, and the stag escapes once again. Months later Harald discovers a gift: the silver antlers the stag has shed, left as if on purpose for Harald. In spite of a rather abrupt beginning and a mat ter-of-fact narrative, the book has a cer tain magic as readers enter Harald's world of courage, mystery, and reward. The illustrations are magnificent. Dou ble-page spreads with rich and evoca tive colors create the forest world fully and imaginatively. The use of light, par ticularly as it filters through the trees at sunset, is spectacular. Carrick's atten tion to details of moss, fern, bark, ani mal life, medieval garb, expression, and especially composition has created page after page of glorious art. Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.