Born of a miniscule grain of millet and a mother’s wish, tiny, dark-skinned and beautiful Thumbelina is kidnapped by an unpleasant iguana that sees her as a prospective daughter-in-law. Horrified, Thumbelina refuses. Still a baby, she knows only one word, so when other animals scramble for her hand, she says “fish,” and gets a ride from one who brings her downriver. As she grows and meets animals—primarily native to South America, though the setting is never fully defined—she learns to be wary, but when she revives a bird of paradise, he becomes a true friend. Eventually offered the chance to become a spirit of the flowers, Thumbelina departs on dragonfly wings, unsure of and excited by her future. True to the Andersen tale, though more open-ended, Picouly’s retelling captures the mystery and lovely oddness of the original, although the otherwise lyrical story is occasionally disjointed and pedantic. Striking illustrations show the lushness of the forest and river and inventively present the world through Thumbelina’s perspective. A note includes information on animals that appear in the story. (Fairy tale. 6-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-59270-069-1
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2007
Formed over eons by lava boiling up from the sea floor, the rocky Galapagos are inhabited by an odd assortment of plants and animals that have developed peculiar adaptations for survival; e.g., dark-skinned iguanas, able to spend more time in cold water searching for food, ``evolved into a new type of iguana—the marine iguana.'' Crisp, clear close-up photos in full color add to the appeal, but lack captions and scale. An attractive introduction to evolution and to some unusual life forms. Scientific names not given; no index. (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: May 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-316-30739-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
Annie (6) is so good at fixing things that her father gives her a tool chest; with her pony cart as a fix-it shop, she goes out into the world, where she finds plenty to do: removing a mouse from a cello so that it plays sweetly again; bandaging a goose's broken wing; even, as ``captain'' of her cart, marrying a couple. Once all the many details are neatly woven together, Annie lets the pony take her home. Whimsical but sweet; the quiet mood is nicely supported by the illustrations' aura of tender concern. (Fiction/Young reader. 6-9)
Pub Date: April 30, 1991
ISBN: 0-8050-1596-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1991
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