SAVITRI

A smooth retelling of a tale from The Mahabharata, ``India's great national epic,'' first transcribed about 2000 years ago after a long life in the oral tradition; an excellent note suggests that it ``arises from a time when...women [were] far more independent than later Indian culture allowed.'' The wise and beautiful princess Savitra, seeking a husband of her own choice, selects the impoverished son of a conquered king, despite a prophecy that the son will die in just a year. When Yama (death) appears, she outwits him with a series of ingenious bargains in which she not only regains her beloved husband's life but restores her father-in-law's kingdom. Rosenberry's delicately drawn illustrations strike a good balance between bright, stylized scenes that recall Indian art and more realistically expressive characters that will appeal to a contemporary audience. (Folklore/Picture book. 6-10)