These stories are such fun readers will race through this anthology.
Presenting a delightful cast of animal archetypes from the Far North.
These 26 brief, traditional stories, including fables and pourquoi tales, set in Finland’s forests, describe the comical exploits of cultural-touchstone characters from Nordic folklore: gruff yet good-natured, indulgent, and easily duped Bear and Wolf and lazy, scheming trickster Fox. Other characters, especially wily Hare and riotous Rooster, also stand out. The lighthearted, humorous, and wise tales in this well-written Finnish import are narrated in breezy, conversational tones and include occasional British spellings. Characters are individualized and well realized and have loads of personality; the dialogue-heavy tales are fast-paced and capably convey characters’ quirky temperaments. Many stories reference events that occurred in tales immediately preceding them, so it’s helpful to read them sequentially. The illustrations, created with plant-based watercolors and ink pen, are lovely. The delicate yet lush, textured, detailed artwork captures the naturalistic-looking animal characters. Many illustrations are in full color and appear as full- or double-page spreads; some art appears as spots or insets. The forest setting is amplified with greens and browns; the Nordic climate is reflected in snowy, wintry scenes. Quaint farm buildings and farm tools and equipment lend old-fashioned touches. Themes and plots here are universal; this collection spotlights animals representing people, after all, so readers should recognize familiar human strengths and flaws—and laugh.
These stories are such fun readers will race through this anthology. (Folktales. 5-10)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-78250-744-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Floris
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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