The tale of “Silent Night”—composed in haste by a 19th-century Austrian priest and his organist when their church’s organ broke down just before Christmas and first sung with only a guitar for accompaniment—is robbed of any sense of wonder by this flat, uninspired retelling. From beginning (“ ‘Tomorrow night we will have a wonderful Christmas Eve service,’ he thought”), to end (“Mrs. Gruber and the children clasped their hands with delight”) the text is stiff as a board, paired with art that is all correctly drawn but generic, conventionally posed figures with bland expressions. Worse, while this is based on the truth, invented dialogue runs rampant throughout the presentation. Neither pictures nor words capture any sense of the carol’s soaring beauty or heartfelt emotion. A distant also-ran behind Margaret Hodges’s Silent Night: The Song and Its Story (1997), illustrated by Tim Ladwig. (historical note) (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-56397-782-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Seymour (Our Neighbor Is a Strange, Strange Man, p. 71, etc.) tells an enchanting story about a battle of wills between Farmer Puckett’s wife and Jake Johnson, the new mule that Farmer Puckett bought to pull his wagon of fireworks to the town’s Independence Day social. “Trouble was, when Jake Johnson got to Farmer Puckett’s yard, the mule liked the place so much he sat down. And he would not get up.” Mrs. Puckett declares that the mule will move if he gets hungry enough, but she’s wrong; a month later, as the Fourth of July approaches, Farmer Puckett is getting nervous, knowing that no one in town will ask him to hire the fireworks again if he fails this time. A fire under the mule forces Jake Johnson to move just a little, leaving the fireworks over the flame, and resulting in the best display the town has ever seen. It’s a mischievous tale, if readers can get past the mistreatment of animal, humans, and property that is part of most scenes. Take it as a tall tale, and watch the fireworks fly. (Picture book. 6-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7894-2563-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spirin illustrates excerpts from the King James Bible in a luminous Italian Renaissance style. A haloed Jesus is the bright light among the ghost-like masses; only he and the angels shine in the dark city next to texts from Matthew, Luke, and John. The subtle palette is enhanced by the detail in gilded armor, jeweled costumes, city buildings, and agrarian landscapes. This book serves as an artful introduction to the popular Bible stories, with appeal for those fond of ornate, formal treatments. (Picture book. 5-10)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8050-5052-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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