PAPA AND MAMA BIEDERBECK

by Gerda B. Mantinband ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1983

Four lackluster folksy episodes in the life of Papa and Mama Biederbeck who ""lived in the middle of Europe, at the foot of a mountain, at the edge of a deep, dark wood."" In the first, both refuse to get out of bed to close the door and put away the pudding--with the result that two passing travelers come in the door and eat the pudding. In ""Tit for Tat,"" Papa hides Mama's knitting, annoyed by the incessant clickety-clack of her needles; she retaliates by hiding his pipe; and both learn that they were better off before. This is told with some leaden attempts at folk-like bounce: ""The kettle on the fire went hiss-hiss-hiss. The cat by the fireside went purr-purr-purr. But there was no clickety-clack from the knitting needles. And there was no puff-puff-puffing on the pipe."" Another incident tries for comic crescendo, with Mama locked in the meadow with a neighbor's baby, Papa trapped on the roof without the ladder, the baby's mother running around yelling, and all the animals joining in the commotion; but once more it's done ploddingly, without verve.

Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1983

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1983

Categories: FICTION