In Joseph Jacob's version of this classic tale (in More English Folk and Fairy Tales), faithful Turpie tries to warn his owner of the wicked Hobyahs who come by night, intent on evil; but the old dog's ungrateful owner only punishes him for barking. He cuts off Turpie's tail, his legs, finally his head, till Turpie can bark no more. Then the Hobyahs return, destroying all but a kind little girl who's saved by a hunter and his dog. Much of the story's power comes from the horror that builds, night by night, with the Hobyahs' menace and the old man's cruelty. Here, in reducing the violence, San Souci loses much of the drama. He includes five dogs that are merely chased away one by one; in the end they all come back to rescue the girl. In his energetic illustrations, Natchev blends the natural and fantastical to create a dark, mildly eerie landscape. The dogs are as much comical as fierce; the Hobyahs—round-eyed, cat-like creatures in striped nightgowns—are not very scary. For those who relish the older tale, a disappointing substitute. San Souci explains his alterations in a scrupulous source note. (Folklore/Picture book. 7- 9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-385-30934-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1994
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
Every year since kindergarten, Harry’s Halloween costume has gotten scarier and scarier. What’s it going to be this year? He’s not telling. His classmates are all stunned when he shows up, not as some monster or a weird alien (well, not really)—but as neatly dressed Sgt. Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, wielding a notebook and out to get “just the facts, ma’am.” As she has in Harry’s 11 previous appearances (15, counting the ones his classmate Song Lee headlines), Kline (Marvin and the Mean Words, 1997, etc.) captures grammar-school atmosphere, personalities, and incidents perfectly, from snits to science projects gone hilariously wrong. She even hands Harry/Friday a chance to exercise his sleuthing abilities, with a supply of baby powder “fairy dust” gone mysteriously missing. As legions of fans have learned to expect, Harry comes through with flying colors, pinning down the remorseful culprit in 11 minutes flat. No surprises here, just reliable, child-friendly, middle-grade fare. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-670-88864-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2000
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