‘Surely,’ thought Rip, ‘I have not slept here all night.’ No, Rip Van Winkle may have slept his way into American literary immortality overnight, but only by dozing off for two decades. The Washington Irving classic has been keeping fascinated readers awake since its appearance in 1820; its graphic sketch of village bumpkins and Catskill grotesques has prompted numerous illustrated and filmed versions. The best of Rip’s illustrators was undoubtedly Arthur Rackham, and here, along with the complete text of Rip Van Winkle, are 30 Rackham illustrations, rendered for coloring by Pat Steward. Children can make their first thrilling acquaintance with the story as they color; students and admirers of Irving and Rackham will enjoy the elfish portrayals of henpecked Rip, his shrewish Dame Van Winkle, the village idlers, and the mysterious crew of ninepin players thundering away every 20 years high up in the haunted Catskills.