Author/illustrator team Aaron Shepard and Gennady Spirin here present a breathtakingly gorgeous picture-book retelling of the Russian folk legend of Sadko, a musician in the medieval city of Novgorod. Performing at many wealthy merchants' houses, Sadko encounters numerous beautiful girls, but none that would be interested in a poor musician. Then one day, playing by the banks of the River Volkhov, he is greeted by the Sea King and invited to play at his palace under the ocean waves. It is here that he meets the Sea King's daughter - the nymph Volkhova, of his own River Volkhov. Although smitten by the lovely maiden, whose hand in marriage is given to him, Sadko knows that he cannot give in to his love, or he will never see his home again...

Pairing an engrossing and ultimately poignant tale from Shepard with beautifully ornate artwork from Spirin, The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend is an absolute pleasure to peruse. The illustrations, done in pencil and watercolor, are the kind that I would have enjoyed poring over, again and again, if I had encountered this as a young girl, and they would undoubtedly have made it a personal favorite. Full of detail, with a lovely, subtle color palette, they draw the reader into their world of mystery and magic. The wordless two-page spreads - there are three in total - are particularly marvelous! The story starts out, as so many folk and fairy-tales do, with the idea of a poor young man in want of a wife, but doesn't progress in quite the expected way. There are so many tales in which young men win the hand of the princess, whether in human or enchanted animal form, but here the hero must choose between home and princess. His decision to return home is atypical in this type of story, I think, and it makes for a beautiful but melancholy conclusion - a conclusion that hints at the haunting power of the sea, while also emphasizing the enduring pull of home. Recommended to folk and fairy-tale lovers, and to anyone who appreciates beautiful picture-book art. ( )

Aaron Shepard's version of The Sea King’s Daughter (Russian Legend) is truly beautiful to read and look at. It tells the story of Sadko, a poor musician who plays the gusli. He plays at many parties and festivals but he is unable to get any of the fine women to look at him outside of the event due to his lack of wealth. One night he plays by the River Volkhov and laments that if it were a woman, he would marry her. Suddenly a figure arises from the river, the Sea King, who invites him to play at his underground palace. He pays him in a golden fish which he trades for much money. How will he be able to get to the palace? Where is it? Will he be able to return? Will he marry one of the Sea King's daughers?

This was a wonderful retelling of this legend. It was short and very easy to understand. At the end of the book, Shepard also includes information about the Russian culture of preserving ancient stories and legends in epic ballads known as byliny. He also tells a little about the history of the area. The illustrations by Gennady Spirin are gorgeous and done in the style of old fairytales. The fabric of the gowns and cloaks looked like you could touch it and that it was almost 3-D. This was a beautiful book to listen to and look at. A great book to be used in classes while studying folktales, legends and fairytales. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ( )

Beautiful story and gorgeous illustrations. I just wish my 2 year old appreciated it as much as I do... a little too much text per page for him to sit through. We'll try again when he's older, and meanwhile I love this book for my own fairy-tale loving heart. Goodness knows there aren't enough Russian fairy tales in the world for me!! ( )

Rich illustrations adorn this fairytale. It feels like a fairytale in its narrative style, and its near-miss ending. I also enjoyed the historical information the author included at the end.

Possible Objectionable Material:
A man jumps into the sea and would have drowned were this not a fairytale.

Who Might Like This Book:
Lovers of fairytales and Russian stories.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. This book also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2017/08/a-panoply-of-picturebooks.html. ( )

Beautiful illustrations complement an amazing story. A fanciful tale of love and loss, hard work, joy, and loneliness. I especially appreciate the small section at the end explaining the tradition of this Russian folktale.

Received for Review ( )