Hickox (Zorro and Quwi, 1997) finds her Cinderella in Maha, a fairy godmother in a red fish that Maha shows mercy to, and the lost slipper in a golden sandal, discovered by Tariq, brother of a rich merchant, who then takes on the search for his bride- to-be. When he arrives at Maha’s house, her stepmother conceals her in an outdoor bread oven, but a happily-ever-after ending is as integral to this Iraqi version of the story as it is to other retellings. An illustrator’s note explains the complex process undertaken for the artwork, done in stages with oils, oil pastel, egg tempera, watercolor, crayon and pencil on vellum, but what readers will come away with is an appreciation for the unusual setting, comic characters, and the age-old emotions and resolutions that rule this story. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8)
Pub Date: March 15, 1998
ISBN: 0-8234-1331-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
A refreshing story about Mother’s Day features a terrifically thoughtful girl who comes up with just the right present. Charity, who is probably in first grade, hears from her teacher that there are two days until Mother’s Day. She starts thinking about a gift, dismissing silly suggestions. The next day, she views her multi-tasking mother handling toast, dishwasher, phone, and microwave, maintaining a harried, frantic pace. Anxiety keeps Charity awake Saturday night till she thinks of the perfect gift. She unplugs the clocks and turns off “everything that beeps or bleeps or buzzes.” The clever and homey text is illustrated with comic scenes that exaggerate the mother’s busy life without—for most households—making it absurd. Charity’s care in coming up with a present is subtly conveyed, making the lesson far more powerful. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8075-4955-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
Seven-year-old Allie goes on a special outing, by train, with her grandfather to see The Nutcracker—her first trip to the theater. It's also a poignant commemoration: Grandpa took Allie's mother, who died when Allie was three, to a Christmas Eve performance of the ballet the year she was seven. Responding to Allie's anxious sympathy, Grandpa explains that he's not sad: "A loving memory is happy" (not, surely, the whole truth, but adequate in context). Peck's freely painted oils—her rough, telling strokes leave the canvas exposed, effectively portraying a California setting some time ago; her dark palette (somber but appropriate) and impressionistic portrayals (especially of dancers) refer to Degas and reveal a new self-confidence in this talented illustrator. An evocative vignette. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 19, 1992
ISBN: 0-89919-866-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1992
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