Customer Reviews

Magic Storysinger

5 star:		(3)
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This rendition of the Finnish epic won the Aesop Accolade Prize from the Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Soiciety. I am in awe of the clear and authentic storyline relayed in this publication, knowing the complex nature of the original narration.

The Magic Storysinger is a riveting introduction to the high adventure and drama of the Finnish epic tale known as the Kalevala. We read it aloud to our children when they were very young and have re-read it many times since. Mea McNeil's luminous paintings and vivid writing are like a fresh breeze blowing through the old stories of the Finnish folk heroes. It has also become a great source for our kids when doing "roots" projects at school, just as it was a source and inspiration for me in writing a documentary film ("Quick Brown Fox," distributed by Women Make Movies)about my Finnish-American mother and her struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. Buy this book!

As a storyteller, I was most impressed. Lots of translations are out there - some too scholarly to want to wade through, and some too dumbed down. McNeil's version is a
pleasure. It keeps the flavor and tone of the epic and its poetry in a very tellable style.