The first publication in English of a long tale by a Swedish author (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, 1907) who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909. The protagonist is not the title's troll baby but the farmer's wife who faithfully cares for him after his mother seizes a chance to trade him for the couple's own child. Despite her aversion to the ugly changeling, conflicting advice from neighbors (``if you cane the troll child till you draw blood, the troll crone will come rushing back with your child...''), and her husband's bitter opposition and plots to abandon or even harm the little troll, the wife treats him as if he were her own—``He's a child, all the same''; the pain she suffers as a result makes her ever more protective. In the end, she is rewarded: her own son returns, explaining that his father's abuse of the changeling was reflected in the mother troll's treatment of him while, similarly, his true mother's kindness repeatedly saved his life. Winter's handsome stylized art, in a rich palette dominated by deep blues and purples and softer rusts and gold, brings out the story's mythic quality and its underlying theme concerning the consequences of mistreating any child. Like some Swedish films, the story bears a burden of angst that won't appeal to everyone, but it's well told, skillfully translated, and beautifully illustrated, and makes an intriguing contrast to other changeling stories—e.g., Brock Cole's lighthearted Alpha and the Dirty Baby (1991). (Fiction/Picture book. 6-11)
Pub Date: March 10, 1992
ISBN: 0-679-81035-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
The school is buying video equipment with the proceeds from a scrap-metal drive, and the student who collects the most cans will get to direct the first film! Suddenly discovering that she's always wanted to make movies, Jenny springs into action- -plundering her neighbors' recycling bins, nagging her sitter and parents to buy more canned goods, even recruiting everyone in her grandparents' apartment building. It's not that easy—classmate Beth has turned from best friend to rival, and even the indomitable Jenny is temporarily discouraged when two big bags of her cans are inadvertently thrown away. Though little Wilson Wynn is the surprise contest winner, Jenny regains both friend and self-confidence by the end. A generous number of amiable b&w illustrations echo this light story's cheerful humor. Sixth in a popular series. (Fiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: Dec. 2, 1991
ISBN: 0-316-15356-7
Page Count: 58
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An easily read survey of nonverbal communication: facial expressions (but not unconscious body language); familiar gestures like beckoning and more formal hand and arm signals; gestures common to Native Americans and people using American Sign; others that mean quite different things in different cultures (in Swaziland, a throat-cutting motion means ``I love you''); pictures, picture-writing, and nonverbal signage; signal flags, etc. The book is not carefully organized—Gross skips from one subject to another, then reverts to an earlier one—but it includes a fair amount of useful information. Ryan's illustrations are undistinguished but clear and serviceable- -except for one inexcusable nonverbal message: a particularly obnoxious caricature of a stereotypical librarian. An adequate concept book on a subject of interest. Nonfiction/Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-590-43897-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1991
© Copyright 2025 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.
