A CAROUSEL TALE

Ernst, the endearing blue crocodile (Ernst, 1989, etc.), reappears in this joyous, childlike tale that celebrates the power of the creative imagination to transform the broken into something new, wonderful and whole. Ernst loves to ride on the carousel, and he always rides on the sunny-colored dog with the tail that wags. His older brother points out that the tail doesn’t really wag, it’s just loose, but Ernst is not deterred. However, when the carousel is closed for the winter, he finds the tail on the ground and takes it home. Because the tail looks lonely, Ernst decorates it, transforming the curved piece of wood into a beautiful painted and feathered bird, which becomes a favorite toy that figures in his dreams. Will Ernst be willing to transform his precious bird back into the dog’s tail? An ingeniously happy solution, in perfect harmony with the joyful creativity of this charming tale, saves the day. Kleven’s playful, light-infused collages sing and dance on the pages like the carousel in springtime. (Picture book. 3-6)