A fairly ho-hum rhymed version of the Andersen tale, almost saved by whimsical and sly illustrations by the empress of crackle-glaze and skewed perspective herself. Says the king, who is a lion of course, albeit one who walks upright, “What I need, I do declare, / is a brand new suit of clothes to wear. / Clothes to make my people see / what a fine king they have in me!” When two weasel tailors appear, and announce they can make those clothes and enspell them so that they can only be seen by the wise, even children who don’t know the story will see through these rascals. Jay’s figures, as always have large gently rounded bodies and small heads and limbs, and her pictures are full of beautiful details, elegant small objects, window vistas, and landscapes. The inherent humor in seeing a tortoise walking upright with the gold key of his office round his neck or a nervous piggy valet culminates in the final panel, where a small frog who tells the truth exposes the undressed lion rampant. He isn’t very naked, of course, being a lion, but his favorite royal object, a hand-held mirror (reflective side down) is strategically placed. (Picture book/fairytale. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-8118-4569-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2004
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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