The Girl, the Fish, and the Crown: A Spanish Folktale

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-4?A Spanish folktale in which a beautiful, spoiled girl is turned into a fish after she eats a magical talking fish that warned her against killing it. She meets the queen of the fishes, a beautiful mermaid who cannot become human again until she recovers the crown that was stolen from her by a giant. Granted the power to change into any creature whose skills will help her, the girl sets off to accomplish the dangerous task. She becomes, in turn, a deer, ant, monkey, parrot, eagle, and toad; faces the fearsome giant; completes the two tasks demanded by him; and breaks the spell on all of the women, including herself. The paintings are lavish full-and double-page spreads with lovely borders filled with patterns of real and mythological sea and forest creatures and architectural details. The story is pleasant and unfamiliar, but it has several holes. A reference to the giant stealing the crown so that his own daughter could assume the queen's identity is very briefly dealt with. The tasks are easily completed. The handsome prince, who sees the girl as a deer, knows immediately that she is an enchanted beauty and falls in love with her. He moons around but doesn't have to do anything to win her or prove he is worthy. When his mother returns from the sea, she introduces the young people and one assumes that they live happily ever after. Now that the girl has so quickly turned into a gorgeous and selfless young woman, her adoring and long-suffering parents are not mentioned again. Nor is the talking fish. The book's main attraction is the gorgeously detailed, dramatic and romantic paintings. This handsome book should be widely enjoyed by fairy-tale lovers.?Marilyn Iarusso, New York Public Library
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Magnificent, elaborate illustrations form the backdrop for this retelling of a little-known story. All the ingredients for a smashing fairy tale in the classic tradition are here?enchantment, a quest, a magical kingdom, good triumphing over evil, and a humble heroine exalted far above her station by her goodness. Through selfishness and folly, the eponymous girl is transformed into a fish; through courage and determination, she redeems herself and wins the love of a prince. Heyer (Iron Hans) takes readers from a fisherman's cottage to a palace at the bottom of the sea and, later, to a giant's castle; populated as these settings are with mermaids, talking fish and an assortment of exotic animals, they give Heyer a poetic set of images to work with. She plays it to the hilt, and her lavishly bordered, opulently detailed pages fairly radiate romance. All ages.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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