by John Yeoman & illustrated by Quentin Blake ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 1994
With origins as far-flung as Papua New Guinea, Africa's Gold Coast, and Spain, 11 tales ranging from simple stories of the weak outwitting the strong (``The Cat and the Mice'' from Tibet; ``The Rabbit and the Elephants'' from India) and trickster and pourquoi tales to complex stories of boons granted by animals to humans (``Animal Language'' from Serbia) and the promises made (or broken) in return (the Zu§i Pueblo's ``The Turkey Girl'' is a Cinderella cognate with an unhappy ending). Western animal stereotypes are often inverted here: Elephants are foolish or timorous; turkeys have magical powers; snakes are magnanimous and just; a turtle is a thief. Recast in a uniform literary style, the stories lack the immediacy of colloquial storytelling but are nonetheless effective when read aloud. The ``twittery mice'' of Mouse Trouble (an earlier Yeoman/Blake collaboration), the tortoise from Esio Trot, and other comical creatures make welcome returns in Blake's dashing illustrations. A note comments on the tales' places of origin without citing specific sources. (Folklore. 7+)
Pub Date: May 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-688-13366-5
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1994
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by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Bee Willey ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2000
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
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by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Brian Selznick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1996
With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating...
Nicholas is a bright boy who likes to make trouble at school, creatively.
When he decides to torment his fifth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Granger (who is just as smart as he is), by getting everyone in the class to replace the word "pen'' with "frindle,'' he unleashes a series of events that rapidly spins out of control. If there's any justice in the world, Clements (Temple Cat, 1995, etc.) may have something of a classic on his hands. By turns amusing and adroit, this first novel is also utterly satisfying. The chess-like sparring between the gifted Nicholas and his crafty teacher is enthralling, while Mrs. Granger is that rarest of the breed: a teacher the children fear and complain about for the school year, and love and respect forever after.
With comically realistic black-and-white illustrations by Selznick (The Robot King, 1995, etc.), this is a captivating tale—one to press upon children, and one they'll be passing among themselves. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-689-80669-8
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1996
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by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Mark Elliott
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