by Jane Ray & illustrated by Jane Ray ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2008
Since the queen’s death, the heart has gone out of the kingdom. The queen had asked each of her three daughters to choose something to remember her. Suzanna, the eldest, took a pair of sparkling scarlet shoes; Miranda, the middle one, picked a magnificent mirror; Serenity, the youngest, selected a simple wooden box that held seven magical things the queen had collected: a rainbow fragment, a burst of nightingale’s song and a tiny apple pip among them. The king sets a seven-day task for his daughters, something to make him proud and to determine who will rule after him. Suzanna builds the tallest wooden tower in the world and Miranda builds a taller tower of shiny metal. Serenity first plants the apple pip, then pips from a pear, orange and cherries. On each of the seven days, she releases one of the magical things in her box, nurturing the fruit, transforming the land and making it bloom again. Ray’s trademark illustrations of vibrant scenes and delicate details enliven this satisfying, original fairy tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3747-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2008
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More by William Shakespeare
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by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Georghia Ellinas ; illustrated by Jane Ray
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by Sita Brahmachari ; illustrated by Jane Ray
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by Nicola Davies ; illustrated by Jane Ray
by Marjorie Priceman & illustrated by Marjorie Priceman ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 1994
What if the market was closed when you wanted to bake a pie? You could embark for Europe, learn Italian en route, and pick up some semolina wheat in Italy, an egg in France, kurundu bark for cinnamon in Sri Lanka, and an entire cow in England (butter) before coming home via Jamaica (sugar) and Vermont (apples). The expertly designed illustrations in which a dark-haired lass journeys by various means to these interesting places to get her groceries are lovely and lively, and the narrative, too, travels at a spritely pace. The journey is neither quite logical enough to be truly informative nor quite bizarre enough to be satisfyingly silly, while the rich, sweet recipe that's appended will take some adult assistance. Still, fun. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 2, 1994
ISBN: 0-679-83705-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1994
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More by Marilyn Singer
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by Marilyn Singer ; illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
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by Elizabeth Rusch ; illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
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by Sonia Manzano ; illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016
Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of...
An international story tackles a serious global issue with Reynolds’ characteristic visual whimsy.
Gie Gie—aka Princess Gie Gie—lives with her parents in Burkina Faso. In her kingdom under “the African sky, so wild and so close,” she can tame wild dogs with her song and make grass sway, but despite grand attempts, she can neither bring the water closer to home nor make it clean. French words such as “maintenant!” (now!) and “maman” (mother) and local color like the karite tree and shea nuts place the story in a French-speaking African country. Every morning, Gie Gie and her mother perch rings of cloth and large clay pots on their heads and walk miles to the nearest well to fetch murky, brown water. The story is inspired by model Georgie Badiel, who founded the Georgie Badiel Foundation to make clean water accessible to West Africans. The details in Reynolds’ expressive illustrations highlight the beauty of the West African landscape and of Princess Gie Gie, with her cornrowed and beaded hair, but will also help readers understand that everyone needs clean water—from the children of Burkina Faso to the children of Flint, Michigan.
Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of potable water. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-17258-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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More by Susan Verde
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by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Juliana Perdomo
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by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
BOOK REVIEW
by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Juliana Perdomo
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