Abigail says this is a version of Beauty & the Beast and East of the Sun....
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And she's right. ?áIntriguing. ?áHighly recommended for scholars and for classrooms, and not just in schools that have a contingent of Latino children. ?áI love the pictures, especially the ones of the prince as he transitions from his 'beast' form. ( )

This fabulous New Mexican folktale - a Spanish-derived combination of the "Quest for a Lost Husband" and the "Bird Lover" tale types (#425A and #432, respectively, in the Aarne-Thompson folklore classification system) - is reminiscent of the classic Norwegian story of East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon, as well as a host of other tales, but also wholly its own entity. The story of the beautiful Mirabel - one of nine sisters, each of whom has a different number of eyes - who agrees to marry an enchanted prince in the form of a green bird, only to find that her mother and sisters' jealousy has gravely injured her love, and that she must journey to the ends of the earth to save him, and win him back, Pajaro Verde / The Green Bird is entertaining, moving, and visually engrossing!

I read Joe Hayes' bilingual retelling of this story when it was first released, back in 2002, and have loved it ever since! Included in Betsy Hearne's international collection, Beauties and Beasts, where it is entitled The Enchanted Prince, it can also be found in J. Manuel Espinosa's Cuentos de Cuanto Hay: Tales from Spanish New Mexico (translated by Hayes), and will keep any folktale love engaged. Like most folktales, there are some disturbing elements - the cruel trap set for the Bird Prince by Mirabel's mother, the killing of the little song-birds in order to create the cure - although I think the general feeling of enchantment - that this both is and is not the real world - will carry all but the most sensitive young readers through.

The illustrations by Antonio Castro L. (assisted by his son, Antonio Castro H.), are simply gorgeous: colorful and vivid, with human figures modeled on real people, rather than (as the artist expresses it) "Hollywood stereotypes." The overall effect, in combination with the story, is one of wonder and enchantment - a lush, beautifully realized world that will draw the reader in! Highly recommended to all young folklore enthusiasts, to those looking for variants of the "Enchanted Bridegroom" tale, and to anyone needing good bilingual titles! ( )

Despite the ridicule of her eight sisters (who have eyes ranging in number from one to nine), Mirabel, the sister with only two eyes, marries a green bird, who is actually an enchanted prince. However, after treachery from her sisters separates Mirabel from her princely husband, she must go on a quest to save him. This is a retelling of a traditional story from New Mexico, printed in both Spanish and English. The author's note at the end discusses the adaptation and the story's context. This is an entertaining fairy tale, full of magic, and includes a number of pleasing narrative repetitions. For instance, Mirabel asks the moon whether she has seen her husband, and then repeats the conversation with the sun and the wind. Mirabel is a brave and resourceful female protagonist. The illustrations are beautiful and realistic paintings, that also effectively convey the fantastical elements of the story, such as Pajaro Verde's transformation from man to bird, and Mirabel's truly bizarre many-eyed sisters. ( )