The Tale of Ali Baba
and the Forty Thieves
He is very unlike the bearded thieves who bare their teeth and brandish sabers in hostile gestures. The story is told from portal to portal as the characters move from cave to doorway to window trying to learn the secrets to the cave¹s treasure. The labyrinth of the city becomes part of the puzzle to be solved, emphasized through Will¹s use of continuous narration in showing the blindfolded cobbler wending his way through its streets. Small framed openings illustrate the smaller story movements and enhance the position of the reader as a privileged strategic observer. In keeping true to the story’s culture, Will drapes his characters in rich colors, etches patterns and textures on the treasure goods, and records architectural details of the ancient city. The story is also rich with light as lamps hang from cave and ceiling and Baghdad is infused with luminous Middle Eastern sunshine. The slave girl Marghana takes center stage as the story climaxes and she becomes Ali Baba’s partner in outwitting the thieves and reclaiming the treasure. The final scene brings together the opulence of the fortune and the culture, rich in color and light, with the favored Ali Baba ensconced in comfort.
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As Eric Kimmel opens his retelling of this favorite story from the Arabian Nights, Ali Baba is setting out from Baghdad to cut wood in the nearby forest. Will’s artwork immediately defines this character with his young clean-shaven face and easygoing demeanor.
 Starting From Sketch Inside the Picture Book of Will Hillenbrand
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Reviews
From Booklist , December 1, 1996 Hillenbrand's illustrations, watercolor paintings with oil pastels, minimize the gore and maximize the drama in a series of varied and well-composed scenes. His visions of the settings and characters underscore the story's Middle Eastern roots. An entertaining picture-book version of the classic story. Carolyn Phelan Copyright© 1996, American Library Association. All rights reserved.
From Horn Book Ali Baba and his financially successful brother, Quasim; the discovery of the treasure cave and the magic phrase, "open sesame"; the consequences of Quasim's greed; the outwitting of the robbers by the slave Marghana; and the joyous finale as the principals, including Marghana, are rewarded, Quasim's death is avenged, and the villains are exterminated. Colorful illustrations, characterized by strong line-an adaptation of traditional Iranian art techniques-match the overall ebullience of the whole. Hillenbrand is particularly adept at capturing characters with a minimum of detail, as in the double-page spread featuring all forty brigands, and at using repetitive shapes to make a statement, as in an overhead view of the donkeys tethered in Ali Baba's courtyard before the final confrontation.
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