Prince of the Birds

"There once lived in Granada a king and queen who had one child, a boy named Alu. When Alu was born, astrologers noted that the prince's stars were favorable — apart from the star of love . . ." So opens this version of the classic tale from Moorish Spain. Alu's father, concerned about the cloud on his son's destiny, locks the boy in a high tower, safe from the perils of love, attended only by an old man and nearby birds, whose language he learns. Soon he learns of a princess who is also imprisoned in a tower and the two begin a secret correspondence. Armed only with her picture, Alu sets out on a journey to find her. Amanda Hall's luminous illustrations and compelling text bring Alu's adventures to life.