Nothing, including “the curse in reverse,” is quite what it seems in this quirky original fairy tale. An old witch, in search of a place to sleep and a bite to eat on a winter night, is turned away twice before finding a warm welcome from a poor couple. She gives the selfish ones the “curse of the silent night,” and the “curse of the one-eyed jack,” and spits on both their doors. The poor couple who have given her their only bed are dismayed to receive in thanks the “curse of the one-armed man.” Zimmer’s folk-like pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations hold surprises, and tease with tricks of figure and ground. Carrion-eating crows, peeping faces, prowling cats, hidden mice, and a baby poking his finger into his father’s eye will delight the observant reader. There’s wry humor in both the text and the illustrations, and the working out of the curses will keep the reader’s interest to the very last page. (Picture book. 4-8)
