THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE

Grindley (Where Are My Chicks?, 2002, etc.) retells the classic tale with only a slight nod to the familiar Disney version and little of the special magic of Nancy Willard with Leo and Diane Dillon, who made the apprentice a young woman. In a spooky stone castle surrounded by padlocked gates lives a seldom-seen sorcerer and his young apprentice. The boy wants nothing more than to follow in the older man’s footsteps and he obediently does everything asked of him. But gradually, his patience wears thin while waiting for the master to teach him, so he takes matters into his own hands. The broom, the water, the multiplying brooms, the overflowing water, it’s all there. But the upshot is that this sorcerer realizes he should give the apprentice a chance. This Harry Potter for the toddler set will delight young readers with its abundance of full-bleed illustrations of things mysterious and magical. And unlike the Disney sorcerer, this wizard is the kindly grandfather type, with a full white beard and gentle green eyes. Taylor’s characters are filled with life, and their faces are wonderfully expressive, while his castle is a place the curious would love to explore. Just right for aspiring young magicians. (Picture book. 4-8)