Adapted from traditional Tarot format (with 22 major arcana and four suits of minor arcana -- in this case, wands, hearts, swords and crystals), the bright, vividly illustrated images on these lovely cards are drawn from a wide variety of children's fairy tales, myths and fables. As such, these are one of the few Tarot decks that might be used with children (instructions included). At basic levels, the cards encourage storytelling, though older children may learn to discern pattern levels and meanings within each card.

For adults, the cards are designed to reawaken the child within via some of the most potent archetypes of our inner world -- from Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother to Aladdin, the Big Bad Wolf, and a host of enchanting animals, fairies, elves, plants and other messengers of nature.

I was fascinated by the imaginative transformation of traditional Tarot images to Inner Child archetypes. Death, for example, becomes Sleeping Beauty; the Hanged Man is Jack in the Beanstalk; and The Wheel of Fortune is Alice in Wonderland riding on a merry go round. While these may not seem immediately apparent, Isha and Mark Lerner's text is perceptive and wonderfully insightful in clarifying how the pieces do fit together.

Also included are some interesting layouts, many based on children's games, along with some intriguing analogies (how, for example, the ten squares of hopscotch parallel the ten energy centers in the Hebrew Tree of Life.) The playful, reflective images rendered so beautifully by Guilfoil's illustrations yield a Tarot deck that is fun, elegant, and powerful.

The Card and Rumi Book Pack
Eryk Hanut and Michele Wetherbee
(Journey Editions, 2000, $27.95)
Includes: 54 cards, hardcover book, matching box.

The 13th-century Sufi mystic and spiritual adventurer, Jellaludin Rumi left behind immense volumes of letters and poetry, all expounding the revelations he had found on his spiritual path to God.

These high-quality cards have a soft, silky finish and, along with the book and box, are very attractively designed. Divided into six color-coded 'families' (birth, love, ordeal, transformation, warning and reward), each card illuminates a different aspect of our journey through life with one of Rumi's penetrating insights. The cards can be used in a variety of ways -- to begin daily meditations to considering new viewpoints or even as answers to troubling questions.

Hanut's accompanying book is lively and well-written. He includes short reveries on each card, along with directions for various spreads and guidelines for "polishing the heart," or meditating as a vehicle for working with the cards and the insights we receive. As Rumi reminds us, "Whatever you look for, you are."

The OH deck features 88 word cards and 88 picture cards (when used together, picture cards may be framed by the larger word cards, allowing for over 7,500 combinations). Designed to increase intuition, imagination, insight and inner visions, these cards can be used in numerous ways.

At simple levels, the juxtaposition of picture cards with word cards encourage new ideas to unfold. While a few pictures may not be appropriate for young children (though easily removed from the deck), most are effective aids to storytelling. My 7-year-old and I designed several games using the picture cards to tell our own stories, then alternated our cards to create shared stories.

The cards may also be used alone to stimulate creativity and further self-awareness, or with small groups to enhance communication and encourage expression. Basic outlines and rules for different types of games are also included with the OH set.

Do you have a book to recommend? Would you like to write a guest book review? Please call or e-mail Dawn Brunke at (907) 373-4667 or brunke@matnet.com.