A WEAVE OF WORDS, retold by Robert D. San Souci and illustrated by Raul Colon, is an Armenian folktale in which a simple moral is relayed in an exiting story. Kirkus Reviews says that the story can be “filed under plain old good advice.” A young prince named Vachagan is interested only in hunting until her meets the weaver’s daughter, Anait. Anait is well-educated and skilled as a weaver. When Vachagan asks for her hand in marriage, she tells him that first he must learn to read and write and acquire a skill. When the task is completed, they marry and rule together. When Vachagan is taken prisoner by a three-headed dev, he uses his newfound skills of weaving and writing to send the queen a “secret” message.

In a complete reversal of roles, the damsel, far from being in distress, leads the army to rescue the king. The story keeps the reader interested after a somewhat hurried beginning. The prince changes his ways so quickly that the reader doesn’t see it as too much of a struggle. However, the capture by the dev is exciting and fairly scary as Vachagan is lured into a cavern filled with chained men. The moral of having a useful skill is obviously presented, especially when those men without one are killed. The beast is slain in a satisfyingly definitive way when the mighty Anait chops off his heads, one by one.

Colon’s illustrations take the tale to a whole new level. The golden tone of the pictures incorporated rich colors, even in the back of a chair, or on the wall of a cave. When the queen reveals the message, the reader will want to turn back and examine the previous pages pictures for clues. The art seems authentic in its borders, some scenes even seeming to be tapestries themselves. The technique is described as being “done on watercolor paper” and “combine watercolor washes, etching, and the use of colored pencils and litho pencils.” The effect is striking, prompting the reader to want to actually reach out and touch the page. The etching over the art gives each scene texture and authenticity. Carolyn Phelan from Booklist says, “Rich with subtle colors and strong composition, Colon’s textured paintings create a fantasy world that reflects the tale’s subtlety and its dramatic force.” Colon’s art makes it difficult to put the book down, as every page demands to be examined for all of its different elements.

Phelan, Carolyn. 1998. Review of A Weave of Words in Booklist. 15 March.

1998. Review of A Weave of Words in Kirkus Reviews. 1 February.