Crossley-Holland’s stately retelling of a familiar tale hews closely to Hans Christian Andersen’s original text, simplifying and tightening the plot elements and excising some of the more mawkish sentimentality. The language is a treat for the ears: “The storks went walking on their long red legs through the shining fields, and the sunlight settled on the shoulders of the castle.” The cruelty of the world is presented alongside the beauty, as the barnyard animals bite and peck the “duckling,” and the guns of hunters mow down a “great skein of wild geese.” So’s (It’s Simple, Said Simon, 2001, etc.) economical watercolor brushstrokes create barnyards bustling with activity and icy winter landscapes with equal skill and expression. Most of the illustrations depict scenes with many details, however, and with few exceptions, the “duckling” is relegated to a tiny segment of a crowded composition. This is at odds with a text that focuses so tightly on its subject, and renders him visually characterless. Words and pictures also sometimes contradict each other with the aging of the “duckling”—one notable example is an illustration of a fuzzy little cygnet accompanying text that indicates the bird has reached the age of flight. Those who own Jerry Pinkney’s 1999 adaptation will find that this offering is far from duplicative, both textually and pictorially, but despite its lovely text and the skill of its illustrative technique, it will still likely be an additional purchase. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2001
ISBN: 0-375-81319-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
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