Advanced Children's Literature: Fantasy

Alexander, Lloyd. THE BLACK CAULDRON. Random House, 2004. Read by James Langston.

The production is elegant, engaging and authentic. I speak a bit of Welsh and can attest to the fact that no British or Irish brogue or accent slips into Langston's performance. Once in a while a bit of a Scottish sound, but an A+ production. This is book 2 in the Prydian Cahronicles but Alexander says he wanted it to be well able to stand on it's own and indeed it does. Being a Newbery winner in print is in no way a surprise. Alexander himself begins the narration and says though the names, setting, a bit of the tale is from the ancient Welsh legends (the Mabinogion, however he doesn't use the term) that it is mainly a work of his imagination. Certainly it is a fictionalized account but with Gwydion, Arawn, Taran, the cauldron, or black crock as the enchantress' refer to it, the 3 drops of knowledge that come from the kettle, it is indeed familiar. Alexander's chosen country is Caer Dallben where peace reigns at the beginning of our story and then a quest and much conflict ensue. Getting back to the superlative job of the language on the audion version, Langston authentically accents the 2nd syllable of each Welsh name and word. In Ireland, Aidan is AID-n. In Welsh it is pronounced, a-DAY-n. A beautiful adaptation. I can hardly wait for book 3. Could hardly be any higher recommendation on the part of this reviewer.