Traditional
Tale Book Reviews
Plot Summary:
In this retelling of a Brothers
Grim fairy tale, a young tailor kills seven flies with a towel and, bursting
with pride, decides he is “far too grand to be a tailor.” He then sets out into
the world to seek his fortune. Along his
way, he encounters and outwits enormous giants, ravaging ogres, a deceitful
king, a ferocious unicorn, a wild boar and finally a spoiled princess. The key insight that the audience has over the
characters in the book is that the tailor never tells his adversaries that he
killed seven “flies” with one blow (wink, wink), and his opponents are, therefore,
somewhat in awe of the plucky tailor. His confidence, cunning and luck finally
result in a new job: as king of the land
where he defeated many with “just one blow.”
Analysis:
Kimmel’s retelling of this fairy
tale stays true to the spirit of the original tale, with a style that is
representative of fairy tales set in earlier times, and dialogue that carries
the story along just right. The tailor uses hyperbole to build himself up
throughout the book, stating, for example, “seven in one blow! What a feat!
The world must know of this.” In many fairy tales the characters are
archetypes of good and evil and symbolize innate human characteristics. In this story, the tailor is the protagonist,
though he exhibits pride, cunning and deceit rather than the honesty and
goodness of a typical hero. The motifs
of adversaries and trickery are present, making it reminiscent of a Trickster
Tale (one in which the character uses wits, wiles and deception to trick other
characters), and the echo of “seven in one blow!” provides continuity to the
tale. The plot contains the typical journey or quest, conflicts, obstacles and the
“happily ever after” resolution of a fairy tale.
Megan Lloyd’s water color illustrations help provide
an integral setting that is historically relevant, with village scenes and
clothing styles representative of an earlier, but not specified, time. Using crisp drawings and hazy backgrounds,
the illustrator keeps the focus on the characters of the story, not
overwhelming the text. The illustrations
keep the story moving procedurally along and keep the eye focused on the action
of the tale. However, there are also humorous details in the drawings that
allow the eye to wander over additions to the page that are not referred to in
the text, such as the giants’ beds being made of bones . Overall, this retelling of the classic Grimm
tale meets many of the expectations one would hope for in a fairy tale, leaving
the reader satisfied and happy to have been a vicarious part of the tailor’s
journey.
Reviews and Awards:
“Kimmel keeps the language clear
and simple yet leaves his mark on the classic tale with understated humor and
whimsical flourishes.” – Publisher’s
Weekly
“Readers and listeners will be
rooting for the underdog tailor on every page, and his astounding successes
will yield tremendous satisfaction.” – Children’s
Literature
Chosen for H.W. Wilson’s Children’s
Catalog in 2001 and 2006.
Personal Response:
The lengthy text and somewhat
frightening ogres in the story make it more appropriate for older children
rather than the younger set. The morally
ambiguous protagonist (he achieves his success due to cunning and deceit,
rather than hard work and integrity) also makes it a better choice for older
children, who are able to recognize ambiguity and nuances in character
development.
Connections:
This book could be combined with additional
stories retold by Eric Kimmel, such as The
Four Gallant Sisters and Adventures
of Hershel of Ostropol, or other Brothers Grimm tales by different authors,
such as the Town Musicians of Bremen and
The Elves and the Shoemaker. In using fairy tales with children, exploring
themes, settings, cultures and character traits would lend an educational
aspect to a typical story time.
Children’s Literture Comprehensive
Database. (n.d.). Seven in One Blow
by Eric Kimmel. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=0&isbn=9780823413836 (accessed September 19, 2013).
Vardell, Sylvia M. (2008). Children’s Literature in Action: A
Librarian’s Guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Wiesner, David. 2001. The
Three Pigs. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN 0-439-44517-5
Plot Summary:
Analysis:
The pigs’ dialogue begins to appear in cartoon bubbles on
the pages, as one pig says “now we have room to move. Watch this-.” The author then
takes the pigs and the reader on a romp outside of the original text, with the
panels of the book flying every which way. By using generous white space, some
pages almost blank, Wiesner indicates that the pigs have escaped and are no
longer in the “book.” The original
drawings in the book become background for the pigs’ actions, as they flatten the
panels which become playthings for the mischievous swine. One of the drawings of the wolf becomes a
paper airplane that takes the pigs on a ride and crash lands a few pages
later.
The author subsequently changes the style of his
illustrations again and again, drawing first a cheery yet simplistic cartoon
rendition of a nursery rhyme that the pigs enter into. Taking the fiddle-playing cat with them, the
pigs wander into another story, originally in black and white drawings, of a
prince seeking a dragon to conquer. Of
course the pigs save the dragon a few pages later, who by then has become
filled in with finely drawn and muted colored scales. The characters then meander
through pages of other books in a more realistic setting similar to an art
gallery, until the end, when the wolf and original book panels show back up
(the pigs un-wrinkle the paper airplane to add him back into the story).
Finally, the wolf is met by all of the
characters at the brick house and scared away by the dragon poking his
monstrous head out the front door. The dragon denotes the brick house as “a
fine castle, methinks.” The letters on
the page begin to unravel and sink, indicating the story will not have the
traditional ending. The final page of
the book shows the pigs, the cat and the dragon enjoying supper, cramped into
one page, with wobbly words telling us “they all lived happily ever aft….” The author, through his whimsical imagination
and varied use of illustrating styles, has taken the reader on his or her own
fantastical journey through a strange and wonderful land.
Reviews and Awards:
Caldecott Medal Award Winner – 2002
“Wiesner's brilliant use of white space and perspective (as
the pigs fly to the upper right-hand corner of a spread on their makeshift
plane, or as one pig's snout dominates a full page) evokes a feeling that the
characters can navigate endless possibilities--and that the range of story
itself is limitless.” – Publishers Weekly
“Wiesner may not be the first to thumb his nose at
picture-book design rules and storytelling techniques, but he puts his own
distinct print on this ambitious endeavor.” –
Horn Book Reviews
Personal Response:
This version of The Three Pigs begs to be read individually
rather than to a group. There is simply
too much happening on each page for a large audience to appreciate it all. In a story time situation, a librarian or
teacher would spend half again as much time explaining the illustrations as
telling the story itself, but an individual reader could pour over the pages
slowly and enjoy the nuances of each page.
Connections:
There are other fractured fairy tales that could be read
with this one for comparison. Start with
an original version of The Three Pigs.
Then introduce this book or others such as The Three Little Wolves and the Big, Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas and
Helen Oxenbury or The True Story of the
Three Little Pigs by John Scieszka.
Children could then try their hand at writing their own fractured fairy
tale.
References:
Amazon.com. (n.d.). The Three Pigs by David Wiesner. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0618007016/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=24697750255&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=s&hvrand=18955198842040394740&hvpone=11.57&hvp (accessed September 19, 2013).
The Hornbook, Inc. (2001.). “Review of
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner.” http://archive.hbook.com/magazine/reviews/group/wiesner.asp (accessed September 19, 2013).
Vardell, Sylvia M. (2008). Children’s Literature in Action: A Librarian’s Guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Vardell, Sylvia M. (2008). Children’s Literature in Action: A Librarian’s Guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Isaacs, Anne. 1994. Swamp
Angel. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New
York: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 0-525-45271-0
Plot Summary:
Swamp Angel is a
tall tale set in Tennessee in the 1800’s.
It traces the history of Angelica Longrider, a larger-than-life
(literally) girl who, from birth, commits exaggerated feats of heroism. She
builds a log cabin at age two, rescues a band of settlers from a swamp, earning
her nick name, and finally battles a giant food-stealing bear named Thundering Tarnation
to save the state and ultimately provide food for the settlers’ long
winter. Her epic battle is memorialized by the appearance of the
Ursa Major constellation in the sky at night.
Analysis:
The tall tale is a type of traditional tale, unique to
America, which uses an exaggerated narrative to tell a story set in a specific
region. Tall tales are full of
impossible feats and include a hero (or heroine) that is larger than life. In Swamp
Angel, Anne Isaacs has created a character that fits the bill for a tall
tale. Set in Tennessee in the 1800’s,
Angelica Longrider (aka Swamp Angel) is taller than her parents at birth, puts
out fires with rain squeezed from clouds and stops a flood with her apron. She dresses in the traditional style of a
girl from the era, with a simple dress, apron and bonnet, but her wild nature
is emphasized by her bare feet throughout the book. Isaacs’ style of using
colloquialisms in the dialogue also helps establish the rural setting. At one
point Angel says to the bear, “Varmint, I’m much obliged for that pelt you’re
carryin’.”
The rising action is all about the battle with Thundering
Tarnation, a giant bear who has been stealing food from the settlers. Swamp Angel’s battle becomes a thing of
legend, and provides a satisfying resolution when she conquers the bear, using
his pelt for a rug that is so big she must move to the larger state of Montana.
She praises the defeated bear at the end, saying “confound it, varmint, if you
warn’t the most wondrous heap of trouble I ever come to grips with.” By the end of the story the legend of Swamp
Angel has achieved almost mythical connotations, with the Ursa Major
constellation being created as a result of her throwing the bear so high in the
sky “he was still on his way up at nightfall.”
Zelinsky’s illustrations are a tremendous complement to the
book, beginning with the wood veneer designed backgrounds, and moving the story
along briskly with oval, square and half-moon oil-style paintings on each page.
The illustrations clearly establish an early American cultural setting, with
appropriate dress styles, log cabins and wide open spaces. The curving lines in
each of the drawings successfully denote movement in the characters’
actions. Nature plays a big part in the
illustrations, as well, with each page showing different outdoor scenes with
land, trees, clouds, hills, and winding rivers. Swamp Angel is so big, you see,
that she cannot fit anywhere except outdoors. The combination of Isaacs’ traditional
use of hyperbolic language and Zelinksy’s larger than life illustrations makes
this book a wonderful representation of a tall tale.
Reviews and Awards:
A Caldecott Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A Time magazine Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
An ALA Notable Book
A Time magazine Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
“Award-winning illustrator Zelinsky has just as much fun
painting primitives on cherry and maple veneers to bring alive the whimsy of
the stories and the wild beauty of frontier America.” – Children’s Literature
“Here's [a children’s book] with GREAT BIG PICTURES and a
GREAT BIG STORY. It's feminist and it's funny and it's supported by some of the
subtlest effects in Zelinsky's noteworthy artistic repertoire.” – The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s
Books
Personal Response:
For some reason, though the book is beautifully done, Swamp Angel did not appeal to me as much
as some of the others I have been reading for this blog. The drawings of the heroine were not
attractive to me, though I understand that they work for a tall tale. The book
is lengthier than expected and the story at times seems choppy and
meandering. Perhaps with more experience
reading tall tales, I could become more appreciative of this type of book. The book also might offend some animal
lovers, as the settlers make all kinds of culinary “delights” from the bear
meat at the end of the story.
Connections:
Swamp Angel should
be read with its sequel, Dust Devil,
or paired with other tall tales such as those of Paul Bunyan or Pecos
Bill. Pointing out all the
impossibilities of the characters’ actions would be a fun activity with
children, who are still learning the difference between fantasy and reality. Children would enjoy voicing their own
opinions of what abilities they would wish for if they were a tall tale hero or
heroine.
References:
Children’s Literature Comprehensive
Database. (n.d.). Swamp Angel by Ann Isaacs. Ill.
By Paul O. Zelinsky.
http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=1&isbn=0154365579845 (accessed September 19, 2013).
http://ezproxy.twu.edu:4529/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=1&isbn=0154365579845 (accessed September 19, 2013).
Vardell, Sylvia M. (2008). Children’s Literature in Action: A
Librarian’s Guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Kelly
Kelly
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