The Changing Maze

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Charles Mikolaycak (Illustrator)

An evil king constructs a maze with constantly changing pathways, and, one day, Hugh the shepherd boy bravely faces the evil magic to rescue his pet black lamb

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Zilpha Keatley Snyder was an American author of books for children and young adults. Three of Snyder's works were named Newbery Honor books: The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid and The Witches of Worm. She was most famous for writing adventure stories and fantasies.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

His granny's wisdom and his pet's love save a boy from evil magic as he braves a cursed maze to save his lamb.

The text has an uneven rhythm and rhyming pattern and is better read aloud. It may be a little difficult, and also a little scary, for younger children to read alone.

The subdued, detailed illustrations were lovely.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snyder's third picture book, following upon the earlier The Princess and the Giants (1973) and Come On, Patsy (1982), The Changing Maze is an original fairytale concerning the shepherd boy Hugh, who sets out to rescue his favorite black lamb from a treacherous maze created by a embittered wizard-king.

Read as part of my Zilpha Keatley Snyder "reading project," which I undertook in 2005-2006, this cautionary fable about the importance of pure-hearted love, and the dangers of greed is notable chiefly for the lovely illustrations contributed by Charles Mikolycak. The story itself was interesting, but the text is rather awkward, and does not read particularly well.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this just because I hadn't ever come across a picture book by Snyder (apparently she has done four). And Mikolaycak is a good illustrator - I always think of him as Trina Schart Hyman's long-lost brother. This has a little of the feel of some of those mysterious Chris Van Allsburg books.

[L Y N N · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read. Nothing great. Nothing horrible. I adore The Egypt Game and The Gypsy Game. I feared this one might be a bit too weird for a picture book and I was right. Though I'd love to know what the target audience (young children) thinks!

[Lobstergirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the changing maze and love's power to overcome evil and greed is a bit hackneyed, but Charles Mikolaycak's illustrations in pencil and watercolor on natural vellum, in a dark, muted palette of grays, greens, and pale browns, are detailed and lovely.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles Mikolaycak's illustrations are, of course, gorgeous.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, the lamb runs away, to lure the boy to the cursed maze, then, once the boy is inside and has almost become cursed, the lamb rescues the boy by leading him out. Thus the curse is lifted. At least, that's what I think is going on. There's more to it than that, I think, given especially what the granny says at the end.

The art is lovely, not surprisingly.

But this book won't have universal appeal. I never would have picked it up, as it looks so bleak, if I were not already interested in both author and illustrator.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the art but the story was strange and the rhyming didn't flow well.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher hopes for this story but it was ok. 2.5 stars. The art was great but surprising for a children’s book.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This original story is written in the style of a folktale, accompanied by Mikolaycak's gorgeous watercolor and pencil illustrations.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated original folktale art by Charles Mikolaycak, illustrator of over 60 books in his illustrious career and Snyder's writing are beautifully matched, with surprising rhythm and intertextually rhyming.

A young boy Hugh lives in the cottage high in the hills alone with his grandmother and pet lamb. Each night she tells him stories and one, his favorite, relates the cautionary tale of a wick wizard king who creates a mystical garden maze and whose greed influences the people in his kingdom to attempt to solve the maze because of the wizard king's promise of a golden treasure.

When the boy's lamb runs off, Hugh follows him and winds up in the maze himself. It is only by choosing love for his lamb over a golden prize that Hugh is saved. Beautifully illustrated.