The Legend of the Jersey Devil

Gr 2–4—Legend has it that Mother Leeds gave birth to the Jersey Devil, her monstrous 13th child, on a Halloweeen night some 300 years ago. The Devil, complete with a forked tail, the hooves of a goat, horns growing out of its head, bat's wings, and glowing eyes, is said to haunt the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, frightening lone travelers and livestock, souring milk, and stealing pies. Noble does a capable job of capturing the atmosphere of the setting, with its black swamps and murky bogs. She conveys enough of the details of the Devil's alleged activities to make the tale deliciously spooky, omitting some of the more grisly possibilities. Kelley reinforces the spookiness with effective use of light and shadow, although his people too often verge on cartoon caricature, so that facial expressions that are supposed to reflect fear and terror seem laughable instead. There is little available for this age group on this folklore character, making this is a serviceable addition for those feeling the need to have him represented in their collections. There are no source notes.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ