An evil stepmother turns lovely Isabeau into a hideous dragon and a prince saves her. Ages 8-12. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

A powerful, and powerfully told, story that begins innocently like a Snow White variant but has a horrifying middle and a problematic conclusion. Isabeau, beloved by all (including the king's son), is as gentle as a dove; but after her wicked stepmother transforms her into a dragon, she kills the 99 warriors sent to battle her. Finally comes the prince, who discards his sword and kisses her, thus restoring Isabeau but turning himself to stone--temporarily: the little cat that once tasted Isabeau's pure blood brings him back to life so that he and Isabeau--in a red dress--can marry. Now he loves her for the ""fire beneath the skin"" (just before Isabeau kills her, the stepmother calls it ""the legacy of all those rash young men you devoured"") and names her his ""glorious dragon queen."" Seriously intended and provocative; but if the loss of innocence is as violent as Yolen suggests, there is a price to pay (cf. Oedipus), and the personality that emerges is liable to be as much scarred as strengthened--which she does not suggest. Nolan's somber, dramatic paintings--with sturdy, unsentimentalized characterizations and a sinuous, nightmarish dragon that looks as if it's been flayed--suit the story very well. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Fiction: F Age: 4-6 Skillfully interweaving motifs from traditional lore into a flowing, rhythmic text, Yolen spins a fine, original tale. The nonstereotypical heroine, Dove Isabeau, is transformed into a fire-breathing, carnivorous dragon by her evil stepmother, but Isabeau's true love is willing to risk all to release her. Handsome watercolor illustrations capture the romantic mood and suggest, through luminous seascapes, the cold northern locale of the story. Horn Rating: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration. Reviewed by: mmb (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 3-6-- A cold, craggy northern shore is the setting for Yolen's haunting tale of dark sorcery, which she richly embroiders with traditional fairy-tale conventions and imagery. The beautiful young Isabeau is as sweet and innocent as a dove, yet she possesses a fiery inner spirit. After her mother's death, she is left with only the Lady Darnton's cat for companionship. Her father remarries, but the woman is, in fact, a witch intent on destroying Isabeau. Using herbs of devilry, the stepmother turns the girl into a hideous red wyrm (dragon) who must eat the young men who come to fight it in order to survive. After 99 have met this fate, prince Kemp Owain, who has studied good magicks, returns to try to save the kingdom. The cat speaks to him in riddles, explaining how to break the evil spell; he succeeds but is turned to stone in the process. Isabeau then slays the witch and again it's the cat who helps bring the prince back to life. Nolan's dramatic watercolors are nothing short of magical. The blues and grays of the rocks, the sky, and the sea capture in turn the stark beauty and menacing nature of the cliffs. His realistic renderings of people are extremely effective, and his majestic wyrm could strike fear in the bravest of the brave. The exquisite book design and sophisticated themes of self-sacrifice, good triumphing over evil at a cost, and lost innocence suggest a mature audience. A powerful and appealing picture-book fantasy with a ``happily ever after'' ending. --Luann Toth , School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.