Erik Arpi

Jonte and Malva, two young trolls who were very much in love, find themselves separated on the day of their wedding in this original fairy-tale from Norway. Poisoned by the evil witch of Dark Mountain, Jonte wandered the woods for weeks before he eventually stumbled upon a different troll village. Unable to find his way home, he settled in this new place and eventually marries a local troll. Similarly, Malva eventually wed someone else, after a period of deep mourning. Years later, Jonte's son Jon sets out to find his father's home village, meeting and falling in love with Malva's daughter Marja after he does. But will this couple also be separated by the witch, or will the magic of their rings, and of true love, come to their aid...?

Originally published in Norwegian as Trollgutten og heksa, and then translated within Norway by the Lillestrom-based Normanns Kunstforlag for the tourist market, The Troll Boy and the Witch is a title that I sought out for multiple reasons, including my interest in Norwegian children's literature in translation, and my devotion to witchy picture-books. Somewhat text-heavy for a picture-book, the story itself was entertaining, although I did find myself wondering why Jon could find his father's home village, when Jonte couldn't. Leaving that aside, this was a sweet tale from author Erik Arpi, and although the focus was more on the trolls than the witch, I enjoyed it. The artwork from illustrators Garcia Arias and Juan Vernet, which consisted of full-page paintings on the right-hand-side page of each two-page spread, was colorful and cute, capturing the endearing quality of the troll characters. Recommended to young folk and fairy-tale lovers, particularly those who enjoy stories of Scandinavian trolls.… (meer)