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GONE WITH THE WAND

Name: GONE WITH THE WAND
Author: Margie Palatini
ISBN: 978-0-439-72768-6

by Margie Palatini and illustrated by Brian Ajhar ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2009

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When a fairy godmother’s wand gets that burnt look, and she doesn’t even have enough “bippidy left in her to salacadoo one more pumpkin,” it just may be time for a change of specialty. Or so advises Tooth Fairy Second Class Edith B. Cuspid, dismayed to see the legendary Bernice Sparkelstein sinking into a funk. Unfortunately, experiments with fairy dust, snowflakes and especially sugarplums don’t work out for Bernice at all. It’s time for something less traditional. In a flash of inspiration Edith comes up with just the thing. Tucking occasional bits of funny business into the backgrounds, Ajhar matches Palatini’s typically twinkly, playful prose with offhandedly baroque scenes of the two middle-aged fairies—one short and round in apron and pinafore, the other tall, skinny and sporting a feathered boa beneath a mane of frizzy red ringlets—flitting hither, yon and into the bedrooms of sleeping young royals. Capped with an ending as cozy as it is happy, this satisfying “fairy’s tale” offers children a bit of extra TLC, and perhaps a little nudge for some parents, too. (Picture book. 6-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-439-72768-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2009

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
KITTY-CAM
by Margie Palatini illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

- BOOK REVIEW
SHARK-CAM
by Margie Palatini ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

- BOOK REVIEW
ISABELLA FOR REAL
by Margie Palatini ; illustrated by LeUyen Pham

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RAPUNZEL

adapted by Rachel Isadora & illustrated by Rachel Isadora ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2008

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Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your dreads! Isadora once again plies her hand using colorful, textured collages to depict her fourth fairy tale relocated to Africa. The narrative follows the basic story line: Taken by an evil sorceress at birth, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower; Rapunzel and the prince “get married” in the tower and she gets pregnant. The sorceress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and tricks the prince, who throws himself from the tower and is blinded by thorns. The terse ending states: “The prince led Rapunzel and their twins to his kingdom, where they were received with great joy and lived happily every after.” Facial features, clothing, dreadlocks, vultures and the prince riding a zebra convey a generic African setting, but at times, the mixture of patterns and textures obfuscates the scenes. The textile and grain characteristic of the hewn art lacks the elegant romance of Zelinksy’s Caldecott version. Not a first purchase, but useful in comparing renditions to incorporate a multicultural aspect. (Picture book/fairy tale. 6-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2008

ISBN: 978-0-399-24772-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2008

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
DO I HAVE TO WEAR A COAT?
by Rachel Isadora ; illustrated by Rachel Isadora

- BOOK REVIEW
MY DOG LAUGHS
by Rachel Isadora ; illustrated by Rachel Isadora

- BOOK REVIEW
I JUST WANT TO SAY GOOD NIGHT
by Rachel Isadora ; illustrated by Rachel Isadora

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BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE

A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE

by Helen Ketteman & illustrated by James Warhola ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1997

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A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman (The Year of No More Corn, 1993, etc.) and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. The protagonist is Bubba, appropriately downtrodden and overworked by his wicked stepdaddy and loathsome brothers Dwayne and Milton, who spend their days bossing him around. The other half of the happy couple is Miz Lurleen, who owns ``the biggest spread west of the Brazos.'' She craves male companionship to help her work the place, ``and it wouldn't hurt if he was cute as a cow's ear, either.'' There are no surprises in this version except in the hilarious way the premise plays itself out and in Warhola's delightful visual surprises. When Lurleen tracks the bootless Bubba down, ``Dwayne and Milton and their wicked daddy threw chicken fits.'' Bubba and babe, hair as big as a Texas sun, ride off to a life of happy ranching, and readers will be proud to have been along for the courtship. (Picture book/folklore. 6-8)