Van Kampen (A Drop of Gold, not reviewed, etc.) brings her illustrative and retelling talents to a classic folktale retold earlier by Margot Zemach (It Could Always Be Worse, 1977). Although Zemach kept the Rabbi in the Yiddish variant, van Kampen puts a fishmonger in that role—that of the wise person whose advice is sought. The farmer and his wife need a solution for the noise and quarreling among their six children and grandparents in a one-room house. The fishmonger advises them to bring a goat into their home and promises things will be better, but when that doesn’t happen, he advises them to take sheep into their home. Soon there is a menagerie of animals and all of the people inside. The noise and chaos that result do little to “make things better.” The fishmonger finally tells the farmer’s wife to remove the animals and the environment in the house does become “much better” thanks to the very wise fishmonger. Van Kampen adds pictures of individual animals or characters on white backgrounds within the text adjacent to larger pictures that flow across double-paged spreads drawing the reader into the story. Several traditional, double-paged spreads are interspersed throughout as well. Beautiful illustrations complementing a very satisfying retelling make this a winner for the youngest of listeners and for older readers as well. (Picture book/folktale. 4-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 2003
ISBN: 1-55037-782-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2003
The Comptons' ``Ashpet'' differs less from Richard Chase's version of this Cinderella variant than their Jack the Giant Chaser (1993) diverged from Chase's parallel tale; here, they simply change the ``witch-woman'' to an old neighbor called ``Granny'' and the king's son (a standard character in these mountain tales) to a doctor's son and omit Ashpet's further persecution and the punishment of the perpetrators, after her wedding. Their text reads smoothly, but the occasional touches of dialect aren't enough to give it the rich humor and verve of Chase's rendition. Storytellers will want to stick with Chase; however, young readers will enjoy this lively and accessible version, as well as Kenn Compton's big-nosed, comically exaggerated characters. Good source note. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-9)
Pub Date: April 15, 1994
ISBN: 0-8234-1106-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The third book by these collaborators (How Night Came from the Sea, 1994, etc.) is a Mayan creation myth—accompanied by colorful, primitive paintings—prefaced first by an author's note, and then by details on the Maya's respect for corn. At last the tale begins, with Plumed Serpent and Heart of Sky's disappointment that the animals they create can't praise them. They make humans: Their first efforts are soulless wooden puppets; their second try results in people made of corn who worship them. As is true of Deborah Nourse Lattimore's Why There Is No Arguing In Heaven (1989), it's grand to have fallible gods, but this story is full of distancing devices (e.g., the phrase ``the Maya believe that'') that detract from its immediacy. Useful; bound to leave readers wanting more. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-316-30854-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1995
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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