The Maiden of Northland: A Hero Tale of Finland [Hardcover]

Aaron Shepard (Author), Carol Schwartz (Illustrator)

Book Description

In a classic Finnish tale of romance from the epic Kalevala, beautiful Aila is being courted by two gentlemen who are desperately trying to win her affection, but neither of them know that she has secretly agreed with her mother not to marry either of them.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-7?A retelling from the Finnish myth cycle, the Kalevala, in which the aging hero Vainamoinen and the great smith Ilmarinen compete for the hand of Aila, the maiden of Northland. Aila has no intention of marrying either of them, but her mother decides to take advantage of the situation and sets the suitors a task. When Louhi asks each of them to bring her "...something never seen before," Vainamoinen returns with a kantele, a lap harp, that the woman is unable to play. Ilmarinen's sampo, a mill that grinds flour by itself, pleases her, but Aila refuses to marry the smith. The spurned men escape with their gifts, but lose them in the ocean. Shepard's use of free verse allows him more flexibility than the traditional poetic meter. While the text falters occasionally, it retains a sense of majestic rhythm and is most effective when read aloud. Shepard's retelling differs significantly from M.E.A. McNeil's prose version in The Magic Storysinger (Stemmer House, 1993), but both titles are well written and valuable, especially since there is little from the Kalevala available for young readers. Supporting information is detailed, including a pronunciation guide, notes, and references. Schwartz's gouache illustrations are vivid and appealing, with jewel-like colors and crisp lines. The book is nicely laid out, with an abstract folk-art design bordering each page and the verses set in two well-spaced columns. An unusual and appealing addition.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

All is bigger than life, as the mythic tale should be. A most handsome book. -- Kate Frankel, Storyline, Winter 1997

Shepard's free verse telling has power and sparkle... Grandly illustrated. -- Glenn Giffin, Denver Post, May 12, 1996

The [free] verse reads aloud particularly well... This is an unusual and appealing book. -- Notes from the Windowsill, Dec. 15, 1996

Well written and valuable.... Retains a sense of majestic rhythm.... Schwartz's illustrations are vivid and appealing. -- Donna L. Scanlon, School Library Journal, Apr. 1996

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689804857
• ISBN-13: 978-0689804854
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #774,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > European

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beauty and magic of the Kalevala retold, March 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Maiden of Northland: A Hero Tale of Finland (Hardcover)

Aaron Shepard's loving and powerful retelling of the Kalevala epic captures the beauty, magic, poetry and grace of the original in a form highly accessible even to very young children. My half-Finnish daughters (ages 5 and 7) sat captivated through a first reading and insisted on a second, thoroughly entranced by the magical power of Vainamoinen's poetry and song and eager to touch their Finnish heritage. But there's enough depth here to appeal to older children, too. Carol Schwartz's rich and colorful illustrations add a glimpse of daily life in the ancient Finnish countryside that makes the magic all the more real by placing it among such believable folk.