Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
PreS-Gr 2-In this Scottish folktale, Jack tries to rid the world of Mr. Death in a desperate attempt to save his ailing mother. The youngster recognizes the fragile old man at the beach and confronts him, shattering his scythe and hitting him as hard as he can, making him smaller with every punch. When he is small enough, Jack stuffs him into a hazelnut shell and tosses the nut into the ocean. He returns home to find that his mother is feeling fine; she is up and ready to fix lunch. However, every time that she attempts to prepare a simple dish, something goes wrong. Necessary chores such as chopping vegetables, cracking eggs, and getting a chicken for the pot become impossible, and Jack soon realizes the importance of death as an essential part of life. He decides to restore balance to the world at the risk of losing his mother-a brave decision that Mr. Death ultimately rewards. Gentle watercolors convey the universal theme of the duality of life and death. Jack's attempts to butcher a chicken are vividly described, and younger children may not be prepared for such graphic imagery. Despite this caveat, this properly translated tale is a good addition for public libraries with extensive folktale or multicultural story collections.-Esmeralda Rios, Herrick District Library, Holland, MI (The Hedgehog)Roldán, Gustavo.PreS-Gr 1-A hungry and clever hedgehog has a problem. He is in search of food and cannot find any. He comes upon a tree full of apples and, unable to climb it, asks a passing bird for help. The bird lands on the tree, but instead of sending the fruit down, he eats some and flies away. When a giraffe approaches, the protagonist repeats his request. Again, the animal that is supposed to help him does not share any fruit. An elephant finally comes to the rescue when the hedgehog cleverly changes his plea and challenges him to jump up and down on all fours. Reminiscent of David and Goliath, this tale shows children the power of thought to overcome one's physical limitations. The illustrations are as simple and minimal as the text: ink drawings with a splash of red for emphasis on the fruit. Recommended for public and elementary-school libraries.-Veronica Covington, Univ. of Texas, Austin(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
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