TELL ME A MITZI

by Lore Segal ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 15, 1970

Instantaneously Mitzi's world is entire and singular, the illustrator's stamp on the author's ""Once upon a time""--lessness; but the eye darts from Mitzi blowing her nose to little brother Jacob brandishing his bottle to Father barricaded by pills to Mother, who'd like to take to bed too, answering the doorbell (for Grandma who'll fetch orange juice and noodle soup for everyone) and back to the doll akimbo, the white-rabbit footboards, the wallpaper, the shape of Mommy's shoes, of Mitzi's dangling feet--so much is going on, spontaneously. And what goings on! Before ""Mitzi Sneezes"" there's the time ""Mitzi Takes a Taxi""--she changes Jacob's diaper and puts on his overalls and his socks and his right shoe and his left shoe and his snowsuit. . . and her own shirt and skirt and shoes and snowsuit. . . and takes Jacob in his stroller down the elevator and the steps to the corner where she calls ""TAXI!""--but where do Grandpa and Grandma live? Best of all is ""Mitzi and the President,"" or rather Jacob and the President. The motorcade has passed and Jacob says ""More, more."" ""Okay, Jacob,"" says Father, ""it's time you learned you can not always have what you want. Call them back. Go on. Yell!"" Which Jacob does, so loudly that the President hears. . . . The fantasy is as real as tomorrow's ice cream cone, the three Mitzi stories that Martha begs more than bull's-eyes. Which brings us back to the illustrations, in their astringency (and other respects) reminiscent of old German picture books, in their unpretty poignancy quite unique. A triumph.

Pub Date: May 15, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1970

Categories: CHILDREN'S