Jim Henson’s Storyteller series made an impact on me with its interpretations of Greek Mythologies.  While I did not get the opportunity to see the other series, the quality of the presentation made the stories unforgettable.  Best of all, Michael Gambon played the Storyteller with the muppet dog that pleasured in hearing all the tales as much as I did. “The Magic Swan Goose and the Lord of the Forest” serves as the first installment of the anthology of stories.  In it, a young princess finds great peace in a forest.  The spirits in the forest, however, harbor secrets and magic.

Presented in a watercolor format, the art in this book stands out like no other.  Beautifully illustrated with deep tones that capture everything from the feel of a snowy forest to the blush on the young princess’ cheeks, the art will captivate.  The text flows around the images, often becoming part of the illustrations, as well.  I did find some difficulty in reading the text when it wrapped deep into the images.

However, the all-ages tale presents mystery and beauty that one would hope to find in a book of this type.  Living up to the Jim Henson brand would be a daunting task for any artist; S.M. Vidaurri does the man proud with this beautiful art that tells a captivating story.

Please get this book to read to a young person, and then reread it over and over for your own inner child.

Score: 4/5

Writer/Artist/Letterer: S.M. Vidaurri Publisher: BOOM!/Archaia Price: $3.99 Release Date: 9/17/14 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital