In a retelling of an Icelandic tale resembling ``Hansel and Gretel,'' a king's children (Sigurd and Ingibjorg) are secretly armed with gifts from their dead mother—a belt that keeps the wearer from hunger, a dagger that cuts through stone—when their wicked stepmother Godrun sets them adrift in a trunk. They land on an island inhabited by Godrun's sister, a blind witch who cages and tries to fatten them to eat; escaping, they trick the witch into falling off a cliff to her doom. Fortuitously, their father turns up to sail them home, where Godrun and her brother are revealed as trolls and turned to stone by the rising sun. With settings of northern seascapes and rocky crags, biomorphic roots, and medieval artifacts, Darke's watercolor illustrations are suitably wild and romanticized; her humans are a bit clumsy, but her witches and trolls are imaginatively rendered and satisfyingly warty. Lively with incident, this provides an interesting contrast to more familiar tales. The title seems to have nothing to do with the story as told here; no source given. (Folklore/Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 1994
ISBN: 0-460-88133-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Collins & Brown/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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