The Dragon's Hoard: Stories from the Viking Sagas

Gr 3 Up—Scottish writer and storyteller Don relates 11 tales of Viking warriors—many of them a bit gruesome—that she has adapted to eliminate much of the violence and make them more palatable to young audiences. The author states in her introduction that the Vikings "celebrate violence in most of the stories they told about themselves and the ancestors they admired." In "The Swan Warrior," a young warrior following his king into battle promises his love (a sorceress) that after this last battle they can settle down together. She becomes a swan, protecting him with her song through what becomes the final battle for both of them. In "Tusker Versus the Earl," the Viking earl of Orkney invades Scotland, but Tusker, a great and honest Scottish warrior from Moray, holds the earl's troops at the border, only to be murdered and beheaded when the Viking men don't observe their own truce. James's digitally colored pen-and-ink cartoon artwork captures scenes of Viking warriors, animals, and other characters from the pieces. Many selections include a full-page illustration. A four-page listing of sources for each entry also notes changes made by Don in her retellings.