SHO AND THE DEMONS OF THE DEEP
by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko & illustrated by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko
The pictures in a first solo outing by Galouchko (Richardo Keens-Douglas's The Nutmeg Princess, 1992, etc.) carry the show, but the text of this folktale has some colorful language and beautiful imagery all its own. The setting is ancient Japan, where the nightmares people have dumped into the sea become demons, whipping the waters into monstrous waves. Eventually fishing is impossible. The hungry people turn to Sh, a visionary girl who has ``the rare gift of seeing into hearts of all living things,'' and who tames the demons of the deep and convinces the people to toss their dreams into the sunlight instead. The dreams ultimately become kites, losing their dark power. This visually stunning book features glowing paintings in the style of traditional Japanese textiles. The pages are bordered in gold with text set in an elegant typeface that resembles calligraphy (the uppercase I will look like a J to readers, but they'll adjust). The vivid sea sequences are grand. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)