Children's Book Reviews
Ten Small Tales
Written by Celia Barker Lottridge
Illustrated by Joanne Fitzgerald
Douglas & McIntyre, 1993
Toronto storyteller, Celia Lottridge wanted to bring together a collection of less-familiar stories that would capture young listeners in the same way as the classic nursery tales. She was looking for the inherent drama and structure of the classics that make children become involved in the story. She has succeeded with Ten Small Tales -- a lovely collection for story lovers ready for a change from Goldilocks and the Three Bears or The Three Little Pigs. Gathered from collections of folk tales, traditional rhymes and other storytellers, Lottridge's stories are sure to delight.
One, a humorous tale from Malaysia entitled Four Legs, Four Arms, One Head, tells how a young boy and his father unwittingly outsmart a curious tiger. The more familiar Russian story, The One-Turnip Garden, has the smallest child in a family play a big role in growing and harvesting a gigantic turnip. The nursery-story quality of all the tales is enhanced by Joanne Fitzgerald's soft pastel colours. The common feature of these ten tales is that they come from the strong oral tradition of storytelling -- making them perfect for telling out loud. Lottridge says, "It is the nature of stories to travel..." -- this collection will help them continue their journey.
Tough Boris
Written by Mem Fox
Illustrated by Kathryn Brown
Harcourt Brace & Co., 1994
Pirates are tough! Or, are they? Maybe not quite as tough as we think, if we are to believe Mem Fox's account in Tough Boris. Boris is tough, greedy and fearless -- just like all pirates. But, when his parrot dies, Boris cries, proving he has a soft side, too. With simple text, Fox's story is at the same time humorous, slightly grisly and all heart. Children will enjoy the horrible descriptions and also the twist that shows us Boris' human feeling.
The text has lots of repetition, which encourages involvement in the story and also softens the use of words like "scruffy," "greedy" and "scary." Kathryn Brown's illustrations tell their own story. It is in the pictures that we find out that a young boy is telling the tale, as we watch his adventures aboard the pirate ship. Children will enjoy following this action, which is not described in the text. Pirates are popular with children and Tough Boris is sure to become a favourite.
Elizabeth Thornley is a librarian in the Children's Department of the Ottawa Public
Library.
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This article first appeared in Interaction published by the Canadian Child Care federation, Fall, 1995. |
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