The Orchard Book of Swords, Sorcerers and Superheroes

Bradman and Ross combine their talents to present new and engaging retellings of some of the more familiar traditional stories from Europe and the Middle East. The Greek myths and the Arabian Nights are represented, alongside Robin Hood, William Tell, King Arthur and St George. The text and illustrations are as accomplished as you would expect from this partnership, which continues Orchard’s work in presenting handsome, high quality anthologies and collections as ‘gift books’ created by outstanding authors and artists working in collaboration. My only disappointment is that, given such a team and such a promisingly expansive title, the story selectors have presented us with the usual suspects again. All of the heroes are male (what of Boudicca, Angara of Baikal, Nzingha of Matamba?) and the stories originate in traditions which are already well-exploited (what about the Kalevala, the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Secret History of the Mongols?). The world is so rich with good stories, and the field of children’s literature so well populated with excellent storytellers and illustrators, that Orchard could well have afforded to be more adventurous.