THE BADGER AND THE MAGIC FAN: A Japanese Folktale

by Tony--Adapt. Johnston ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 19, 1990

By her own account, Johnston has taken liberties with this tale, making the long-nosed tengu (goblins) mischievous rather than arrogant. The result is pleasantly entertaining: a wicked badger/shape-changer snitches a magic fan that three tengu children are playfully using to make their noses grow and shrink; the fan enables him to trick a rich man into giving him his lovely daughter in marriage. The tengu show up at the wedding and use the fan to lengthen the badger's nose so that it draws him up to the sky. Johnston's lively telling is just right to share aloud; dePaola's masterfully structured illustrations, which make delightful rhythms of the three tengu and other repeated figures, extend the story's cheerful good humor.

Pub Date: April 19, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1990

Categories: CHILDREN'S