Just so stories

Review by Booklist Review

Gr. 4^-6. This handsome edition of Kipling's 12 original stories features 10 color plates as well as a number of black-and-white ink drawings. The drawings have a rather sketchy, informal look, whereas the watercolor paintings reflect the more polished, formal style of character portraits often seen in Moser's work. Libraries that offer a selection of the classics will want to add this version to their collections. Carolyn Phelan

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In the first of two planned volumes, Wallace uses a mix of watercolor, crayon, pastel, and chalk to honor the wild invention and wilder language of Kipling's classic tales of anthropomorphic animals, adventure, and absurdity. Six stories appear-including "How the Whale Got His Throat" and "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin"-and Wallace contributes four or so full-page images for each tale. The illustrations blend playfulness with arresting imagery, providing an enticing entry point for readers. In the fiery, sunset-hued opening scene of "The Elephant's Child," the snub-nosed elephant "with his 'satiable curiosities" gets a firm kick from his aunt Ostrich, while the camel in "How the Camel Got His Hump" is shown in skeletal profile as his impertinent "Humph!" is transformed into his trademark hump. Ages 5-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-6-Six of Kipling's stories, including "The Beginning of the Armadillos" and "The Butterfly That Stamped" are featured in this work. Over the years, these tales have delighted young readers with their imaginative pourquoi style, beautiful language, and clever wordplay. Wallace uses mixed media (watercolor, pencil crayon, pastel pencil and chalk) to create glowing, softly colored paintings that successfully capture the essence of the tales. Each one opens with a full-page painting, followed by several others that highlight important aspects of the story. Wallace also uses his art to cleverly connect the stories and notes, e.g., "Watch for the leopard butterfly flying through all six tales, as well as other animals from the first volume.." He explains his conceptual ideas in a series of comprehensive notes at the end of the volume. His carefully planned and detailed illustrations masterfully complement the clever and complicated language of these best-beloved stories. The distinguished art honors each tale and engages readers with memorable imagery. The wraparound cover includes characters and artifacts from all the stories. This combination of wonderful tales and stunning art will make a fine addition to every library and help bring a classic to a new generation of young readers.-Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Horn Book Review

Afterword by Peter Glassman. Ten color plates as well as a number of black-and-white drawings appear throughout this collection of Kipling's twelve classic 'pourquoi' tales. Moser's expressive, elegant watercolors are beautifully executed but lack some of the vitality and energy of Kipling's rhythmic prose. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A sunset-colored cover beckons readers to a newly illustrated edition of the classic collection. The wraparound jacket presents a surreal dreamscape that encapsulates the transformations Kipling describes in his stories. On the back, a humpless camel and short-nosed elephant enjoy a moonlit dip, while their reflections reveal hump and trunk; on the front, a short-legged kangaroo, smooth-skinned rhino and spotless leopard likewise appear above their transformed reflections. Within, readers will find six of Kipling's tales: "How the Whale Got His Throat"; "How the Camel Got His Hump"; "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin"; "How the Leopard Got His Spots"; "The Elephant's Child"; and "The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo." Each story is illustrated with four luminous, full-color paintings, most occupying a single page in the manner of old-fashioned color plates. Also like color plates, the specific scene illustrated is indicated with a representative selection from the text. Wallace invests each scene, including the humorous ones, with poetic gravitas and refrains from anthropomorphizing his animal characters. Herons scattering above the Elephant's Child, nose clutched tight in the Crocodile's maw, indicate his very real danger; the Ethiopian solemnly marks the Leopard's coat with his fingers. An illustrator's note explains the genesis of the book and his artistic approach to each individual story. Volume 2, completing the collection, is due out in spring 2014. An elegant, timeless treatment for all those best beloved. (Short stories. 5 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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From "The Beginning of the Armadilloes" This, O Best Beloved, is another story of the High and Far-Off Times. In the very middle of those times was a Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating shelly snails and things. And he had a friend, a Slow-Solid Tortoise, who lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating green lettuces and things. And so that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see? But also, and at the same time, in those High and Far-Off Times, there was a Painted Jaguar, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon too; and he ate everything that he could catch. When he could not catch deer or monkeys he would eat frogs and beetles; and when he could not catch frogs and beetles he went to his Mother Jaguar, and she told him how to eat hedgehogs and tortoises… * * * From "The First Letter" So he gave Taffy the shark's tooth, and she lay down flat on her tummy with her legs in the air, like some people on the drawing-room floor when they want to draw pictures, and she said, "Now I'll draw you some beautiful pictures! You can look over my shoulder, but you mustn't joggle. First I'll draw Daddy fishing. It isn't very like him; but Mummy will know, because I've drawn his spear all broken. Well, now I'll draw the other spear that he wants, the black-handled spear. It looks as if it was sticking in Daddy's back, but that's because the shark's tooth slipped and this piece of bark isn't big enough. That's the spear I want you to fetch; so I'll draw a picture of me myself 'splaining to you. My hair doesn't stand up like I've drawn, but it's easier to draw that way. Now I'll draw you. I think you're very nice really, but I can't make you pretty in the picture, so you mustn't be 'fended. Are you 'fended?" Excerpted from Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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