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RUSSIAN GYPSY TALES

Name: RUSSIAN GYPSY TALES
Author: Yefim Druts
ISBN: 1-56656-100-0

edited by Yefim Druts & Alexei Gessler & translated by James Riordan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 20, 1992

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In the well-regarded ``International Folk Tale Series,'' a grand collection of 36 tales, the fascinating result of the long interaction between the self-reliant gypsies and their reluctant Russian neighbors, as collected by two Moscow researchers. In an excellent introduction, the translator explores the mysterious history of the people who call themselves Rom, perpetual outsiders whose probable origins were in India; in Russia, as elsewhere, some settled and others continued to roam while their traditions endured—including these stories, whose action vividly reveals the gypsies' close-knit society. The stories are splendid: heroic or romantic; tales of fools or of clever tricksters outwitting each other—or the devil; ghosts foiled by the power of the church or horrifyingly triumphant. The vibrant characters are sometimes wealthy but often poor; though Rom society is male-dominated, there are also clever, assertive women—and one who, threatened with rape, literally becomes stone. It's also a society that's often outside the law of the czars, with horse-stealing a normal activity yet with its own strict moral code, including hospitality and taking care of its own. These wonderfully varied stories are bursting with drama and humor, rich with lively characters and swift-moving, surprising events. As a collection of gypsy folklore, this seems to be unique; for readers or storytellers, it's a treasure trove. (Folklore. 6+)

Pub Date: Dec. 20, 1992

ISBN: 1-56656-100-0

Page Count: 146

Publisher: Interlink

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1992

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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REGARDING THE FOUNTAIN

A TALE, IN LETTERS, OF LIARS AND LEAKS

by Kate Klise & illustrated by M. Sarah Klise ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1998

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It starts off innocently enough, with principal Walter Russ asking artist Florence Waters to sell him a drinking fountain for the Dry Creek Middle School. But art and bureaucracy are about as different as, well, flood and drought, and this book pits such opposites with hilarious results. Town villains Dee Eel (president of Dry Creek Water Company) and Sally Mander (chief executive of the Dry Creek Swimming Pool) absconded with the town's water supply, turning what used to be Spring Creek into Dry Creek. This all gets uncovered by ``Sam N.'s fifth-grade class,'' who is doing a project on the history of the town. What makes this tale an unequivocal delight is that it's told through letter, memos, newspaper clippings, school announcements, and inventive black-and-white drawings; even less-skilled readers will be drawn in by the element of perusing ``other people's mail'' to find out why Spring Creek went dry, and to decode the water-related names of the characters. Florence and her intriguing attitude and art win over the class, Sam, and even the stuffy principal—how she does it is part of a tale overflowing with imagination and fun. (Fiction. 9-13)

Pub Date: April 1, 1998

ISBN: 0-380-97538-6

Page Count: 138

Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1997

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW MR. SILVER STOLE THE SHOW
by Kate Klise ; illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

- BOOK REVIEW
THE CIRCUS GOES TO SEA
by Kate Klise ; illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

- BOOK REVIEW
THE GREATEST STAR ON EARTH
by Kate Klise ; illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

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GOONEY BIRD GREENE

by Lois Lowry & illustrated by Middy Thomas ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2002

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Gooney Bird Greene (with a silent E) is not your average second grader. She arrives in Mrs. Pidgeon’s class announcing: “I’m your new student and I just moved here from China. I want a desk right smack in the middle of the room, because I like to be right smack in the middle of everything.” Everything about her is unusual and mysterious—her clothes, hairstyles, even her lunches. Since the second graders have never met anyone like Gooney Bird, they want to hear more about her. Mrs. Pidgeon has been talking to the class about what makes a good story, so it stands to reason that Gooney will get her chance. She tells a series of stories that explain her name, how she came from China on a flying carpet, how she got diamond earrings at the prince’s palace, and why she was late for school (because she was directing a symphony orchestra). And her stories are “absolutely true.” Actually, they are explainable and mesh precisely with the teacher’s lesson, more important, they are a clever device that exemplify the elements of good storytelling and writing and also demonstrate how everyone can turn everyday events into stories. Savvy teachers should take note and add this to their shelf of “how a story is made” titles. Gooney Bird’s stories are printed in larger type than the narrative and the black-and-white drawings add the right touch of sauciness (only the cover is in color). A hybrid of Harriet, Blossom, and Anastasia, irrepressible Gooney Bird is that rare bird in children’s fiction: one that instantly becomes an amusing and popular favorite. (Fiction. 6-9)