Along the lines of Ole Könnecke’s Anthony and the Girls (2006), here’s another import that takes a dig at masculine pretensions and is aimed at an older audience than its primary-reader look might suggest. Side by side in bed, two lads sneer at girls for combing their dolls’ hair all day and being such ’fraidy cats. The reckless claim that they’re even afraid of ghosts, though, brings a sudden change of mood, and a few pages later the two, having thoroughly frightened themselves, are climbing into bed with the very girl (presumably in the next bedroom) they’ve been dissing. Painting cartoon youngsters who look like chunky, tan eggplants, Olten alternates between the dynamic duo bouncing on the bed (and in one scene flashing butt cracks in tandem) and a girl with flyaway braids contentedly surrounded by dolls and teddy bears. The text runs to a few big words per page, capped by the smiling girl’s closing comment that “Boys are so silly.” For storytime chuckles, pair this with a tale in which the roles are reversed—if you can find one. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-905417-48-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boxer Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your dreads! Isadora once again plies her hand using colorful, textured collages to depict her fourth fairy tale relocated to Africa. The narrative follows the basic story line: Taken by an evil sorceress at birth, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower; Rapunzel and the prince “get married” in the tower and she gets pregnant. The sorceress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and tricks the prince, who throws himself from the tower and is blinded by thorns. The terse ending states: “The prince led Rapunzel and their twins to his kingdom, where they were received with great joy and lived happily every after.” Facial features, clothing, dreadlocks, vultures and the prince riding a zebra convey a generic African setting, but at times, the mixture of patterns and textures obfuscates the scenes. The textile and grain characteristic of the hewn art lacks the elegant romance of Zelinksy’s Caldecott version. Not a first purchase, but useful in comparing renditions to incorporate a multicultural aspect. (Picture book/fairy tale. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-399-24772-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2008
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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