Fourteen short, surreal poems originally published in Russian over 35 years ago see their first English versions, paired to dark, scratchy paintings featuring angular people and farm animals in countrified dress. The titular horse, depicted as a fastidious prancer with spots and a stylish perm, leads the way: “A horse has four shoes with black rubber soles, / Two of them new, but the others have holes. / If the weather is fair, no rain in the news, / The horse likes to wear her best pair of shoes.” Elsewhere, a couple crack nuts with their telescope and throw the shells off their roof, a curious cow confronts a stubborn turkey hauling a locked trunk, green “Mr. Croakley” rather ominously vanishes after “Mr. Quackley” passes by and a child yearns for a pet elephant. Some readers may be amused by the fitfully rhymed verses’ quirkiness, but this sampler is best considered a curiosity, for deeper collections. (Poetry. 7-11)
Pub Date: April 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-9646010-1-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Pumpkin House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2005
A resonant, evocative tale about a lonely woman and the child of the sea who becomes her dearest companion. Mariana, an old woman, lives by the sea that is a mother to her, providing her with food for the table, driftwood for her fire, and music for her soul. But she is lonely, for the village children mock her and run away. One day after a wild storm when the sea-wolves prowl, she finds a crab shell; within it is a tiny merchild, with pearly skin and hair “the color of the setting sun.” Mariana, at the advice of the Wise Woman, places the merbaby where her mother, the Sea Spirit, can see she is safe; every day the Sea Spirit comes to feed her daughter and to teach her. Mariana cares for her the rest of the time, even though she knows the merchild must eventually return to the sea. The village children come to play with the merchild, and warm to Mariana. When the merchild does finally rejoin her mother, she returns daily to Mariana with gifts and greetings. Conveyed in the emotionally rich telling are the rhythm of waves, filial devotion, the loving care of children, and the knowledge of beasts. The beautiful illustrations are full of the laps and curves of the ocean, the brilliant colors of sea and sky, and the gorgeous reds and dusky browns of fabric, interiors, skin tones, and shells. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-8028-5204-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1999
These agreeable poems from George (Old Elm Speaks, 1998, etc.) chronicle a day in the life of a little dog doing little dog things. After the obligatory cold nose wakes the dog’s young keeper, the dog duels the vacuum cleaner, surveys the territory from the window, gives the letter carrier notice, curls like a watch spring into a spot of sunlight, snoozes, duels with a beetle, makes a mess, tears things apart, serves and protects. Otani has made the dog a playful terrier type—all vim and vinegar—although the rest of the artwork is attractively delicate. George plays with words with a sure hand; just as surely, Otani picks up on their expressive qualities, e.g., showing the bedraggled pup in “Bath,” “Dripping and soggy,/Little Dog/really is/little.” A charming glimpse of life with a small dog, and its small but satisfying pleasures. (Picture book/poetry. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 22, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-82266-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
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