The small, novel-like format (5.5 x 8 inches) will most likely appeal to reluctant or recently independent readers, who...
This much-abridged recreation of the famous tale by Hans Christian Andersen is smoothly told, following the original structure of seven short chapters, while leaving out numerous details and the Christian elements of the original.
Characters (a wolf) and incidents (a final confrontation between Gerda and the Snow Queen) have been added. Because of the elision and truncation of incidents from the original story, Gerda’s quest is less immediate and heart wrenching, and the motivations of many of the characters she meets are harder to understand. For example, it is not clear that the old woman with the magical garden tries to keep Gerda with her because she has always longed for a daughter, nor is the precarious situation of the outlaw’s daughter, who, in the original, sleeps with a knife at her side, apparent. The sophisticated, surreal and dreamlike illustrations created through mixed media, including manipulated photographs of dolls, flowers and paper constructions, often charmingly spill over onto the pages of text.
The small, novel-like format (5.5 x 8 inches) will most likely appeal to reluctant or recently independent readers, who might be encouraged by this simple retelling to seek fuller versions of the tale. (Fairy tale. 8-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84686-662-3
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011
An unusually promising series opener for proto-Goosebumps fans.
A discarded notebook with information on disquieting creatures like the Rhinoceraptor and the Forkupine isn’t the only surprise waiting in Stermont for nerdy Alexander Bopp and his oblivious dad.
As if the small town’s name, three graveyards and abandoned glue factory aren’t eerie enough, Alexander is assaulted on his first day by several of the tall, fluttering “balloon guys” commonly used by stores as attention-getters. Moreover, his new class turns out to be temporarily relocated to the local hospital’s morgue, his new teacher loudly nicknames him “Salamander Snott,” and he becomes an instant target for aptly named classmate Rip Bonkowski. The next day, things get worse. Cranking up the horrorlarity with googly eyed cartoon figures and sight gags on nearly every page, Cummings pitches his nervous but resourceful newcomer into a climactic, all-out battle with an entire army of aggressive, air-stealing bendy balloons. Happily, with help from Rip and other unlikely allies, Alexander ultimately saves Stermont from a pandemic of permanently flattened tires, pool toys and whoopee cushions.
An unusually promising series opener for proto-Goosebumps fans. (Light horror. 8-10)Pub Date: July 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-493222-2
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Branches/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
Skip.
Recipes alternate with the fairy and folk tales that inspired them in this Italian import.
Unfortunately, neither element shines. The tales, while a great mix of well-known favorites and new ones (“The Six Swans,” “The Wolf and the Seven Kids”), are each crammed on a single page and lack clear paragraph divisions, making them quite difficult to read. But the recipes are the book’s biggest weakness. Many of the ingredients are not cheap and may prove hard to find for U.S. readers—gelatin sheets, vanilla pod, icing sugar (though both U.S. and metric measurements are included). Similarly, lots of kitchen gadgets are used—molds, mixer, blender, stick mixer, food processor, bain-marie (there’s no glossary). Some of the recipes seem to be missing steps (cut using cookie cutters, but there’s no mention of rolling the dough) or are not specific enough—“stew the apples in the pan for several minutes”; “add rice and wait until it is cooked”; “1 jar of your favorite jam”; “glass” as a unit of measure—and there is no note about safety or parental supervision. Attanasio’s digital illustrations feature large-headed characters with tiny limbs and bodies, but the details shown don’t always match the text, and a couple of recipes involving shaping puff pastry truly need photos. Finally, the book’s audience is difficult to pin down—the complexity of the recipes eliminates most fairy-tale readers.
Skip. (index of recipes and ingredients) (Cookbook/fairy tales. 8-10)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-88-544-0869-2
Page Count: 54
Publisher: White Star
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2014
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
