Inhabiting this tender love story is a gentle giantess who lives in isolation at the edge of the woods so that she won't scare people with her towering height. When a friendly woodsman builds a house nearby, his affection for his reclusive neighbor grows, even after he learns of her true size. He doesn't tell her what he knows, but invites her to the town carnival, letting her know that she'll ``see everything there from elves and fairies to witches and giants.'' The giantess is overjoyed to be mingling with people, and, at the carnival, she is surprised by admirers of her ``costume,'' all of whom point out the benefits of being very tall, and all of whom accept her when she confesses her height. The giantess gains self-esteem, gets her man, and lives happily ever after. This sweet story, translated from the German, will capture the hearts of young romantics. Seelig's timeless art does not play down the heroine's size—she is large among the other carnival attendees, but she is also lovely; the illustrations are perfect in their soft, misty beauty. (Picture book/folklore. 4-7)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-916291-76-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In the past, picture books have tended to foster male characters as the perpetrators of adventures. Thankfully, preschoolers have the further escapades of these two chums (whose friendship began in Emily and Alice, 1993), to dispel any notions that girls don't want to have fun. There are really three stories under one cover. In the first, Alice trades her funky pink heart- shaped sunglasses for Emily's little sister (it doesn't last long). Next comes the tale of Alice's goofy hat, which everyone ridicules. Then Emily gets an identical chapeau, bolstering Alice's self- confidence with a show of friendship. Finally, there's a scary slumber party episode, where the made-up horrors under the bed can only be dissipated by sleeping with the light on, in the same bed, with a couple of stuffed animals. The cheery illustrations show neighborhood scenes and snazzy outfits, perfectly reiterating the busy activities of these two loyal pals, in a trio of warm-hearted tales of friendship. (Picture Book. 4-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-15-200439-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1995
BOOK REVIEW
A lop-eared rabbit named Millie lives in a small backyard hutch and is bored with the same old fare of lettuce, carrots, and no space to hop in. She stares at the tall green hedge at the end of the yard and wonders what it's like on the other side. One day she escapes into the wild where she is scorned for being a lowly pet, and for having droopy ears. Life in the hutch still doesn't look very promising, so Millie and a more tolerant wild rabbit begin a life of their own, in a glade apparently devoid of predators. The crew of characters are expressive and realistically drawn, but it's difficult to read this work without hearing echoes of other stories (The Velveteen Rabbit, The Rabbits' Wedding, The Runaway Bunny) of more enduring interest. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-525-45364-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1995
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