Children’s Literature review:

This is a reissue of the book that originally was published in 1987. It is a version of the beloved tale of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Once again, children become acquainted with the charming little girl who always wears the red cap that was given to her by her grandmother. One day while on her way to visit her ailing grandmother, she meets the sly and cunning wolf in the forest. He persuades her to wander off the path and gather some flowers for her grandmother, while he rushes to grandmother’s house and gobbles her up. He then pretends to be grandmother and also devours Little Red Cap. Of course, the brave and clever hunter saves both the old lady and Little Red Cap. Zwerger’s beautiful illustrations are an ideal accompaniment to the text as they portray the characters (especially the wolf) with depth and emotion. All libraries should add this to their fairy tale collection.

Unlike some of the other volumes I have covered, this one is perfect for reading out loud. The pages alternate between text – without any unique fonts – and illustrations.  Zwerger offers her reliably evocative and playful illustrations that compliment this classic so well.

As noted above, the wolf  is particularly charming with a variety of facial expressions to match his deviousness as he tricks the innocent, and naive, Red Cap.

Sometimes Zwerger’s illustrations are more abstract and mysterious – symbolic and thought-provoking. In this case the illustrations are more closely tied to the story. But they are still subtle and soft – they don’t overwhelm the text but set the mood and give a glimpse of the characters. There is still white space and room for imagination.

I will confess that in reading the story I was struck by the implausibility of the hunter cutting open the wolf and pulling out both grandma and Red.  But these tales are not realism after all …

If you love the classic tales of Brothers Grimm and are looking for an edition to read out loud this would be a great choice.  While many of Zwerger’s books seems more like coffee table art books this one is great for young and old; to read to yourself our out loud

I thought I might take a moment today to share a book I bought this year.  I am a big fan of Jon J. Muth. We have a number of his books and my children particularly enjoy reading his zen stories featuring Stillwater the panda (Zen Shorts, Zen Ties & Zen Ghosts).

So when I stumbled upon The Christmas Magic while out shopping I knew I had to get it. And rather than wrap it as a gift I brought it home and we read it for bedtime stories in preparation for Christmas.

As Booklists notes, this is not your classic Santa:

Children get a different Santa than they are used to in a book that focuses on the quiet preparation that leads to Christmas. Far, far north, this Santa Claus is not a jolly old elf, but rather a thin, subdued fellow in a blue suit. There’s no Mrs. Claus—well, Santa darns his own socks—nor are there busy elves. Just reindeer called home from a snowy wilderness who are fed parsnips and berries before their long journey. Alone, Santa readies his sleigh and visits a room with toys, where he picks one for each boy and girl in his book. Finally the night “thrums with magic,” and Santa embarks on his vast journey. It’s the air of magic and mystery, which prevails in both text and art, that will capture children’s interest and allow them to accept a Santa who is not the norm. This is primarily true in the majestic outdoor spreads that are all stars and snow and sing of unknown possibilities. But even the cozy indoor scenes have a slightly unsettling feel that will intrigue readers. A new take on an iconic figure.

The story is simple but whimsical and mysterious. It hints at the magic and beauty of the north.  Muth’s wondrous watercolors bring the story to life. Santa is kind and full of joy even without the extra weight.

The snow and stars are so enchanting that you wish you could climb into the story and experience the crisp winter nights where each snowflake seems to sparkle and the stars are bright and clear.  The deer are soft and friendly, like beloved companions who cheirsh the seasons as much as Santa, even as they sport wide grins in a couple of the illustrations.

If you are looking for a Christmas picture book with a different take on Santa this is a great choice.  A wonderful story with beautiful art sure to be enjoyed for many, many seasons.

Our tour of Lisbeth Zwerger books in my collection continues today with Swan Lake.  Most people think of the ballet when they think Swan Lake but it was initially written as a one-act fairy tale dance piece for the children of his sister.  It wasn’t until four years later that he was commissioned to create the ballet of the same title.  As Zwerger relates in her author note, the presentation of this most famous of all ballets was a disaster.  Sixteen years later, and after Tchaikovsky‘s death, the score and choreography were changed and the story was given a tragic ending.

Zwerger revives the earlier story, the one with the happy ending, in her retelling of this classic.

Booklist:

Confessing in an appended note that she had approached Swan Lake with mixed feelings because of its tragic conclusion, Zwerger found that her research supported a happier ending, based on Tchaikovsky’s original version of the ballet in 1877. In this picture book, Zwerger offers a series of subtle, delicate paintings illustrating that story. Decorated with swans, boughs, and other figures and flourishes, a few bars of music appear on each left-hand page above the text, offering a musical context for each scene. Facing are large, bordered paintings that illustrate part of the story. Their magical yet somber tone and muted colors suit the many night settings. The delicately composed artwork also has surreal touches, such as the thundercloud that enters the ballroom above the villains’ heads, and the swan’s-head effects sometimes created with the swan queen’s hands. Some of the finest pictures are compositions in black, white, and many shades of gray. Told with drama and illustrated with grace, this is a handsome interpretation of the story.

I agree. It really is a wonderful example of a fairy tales coming to life in words and art.  It is a simple story but full of surprising emotion and depth. And with just ten evocative illustrations Zwerger both brings it to life and inspires the imagination; allowing the reader to bring their imagination to the story and fill in the details.

The illustration above is a good example. It dramatically illustrates the change from princess to swan but also captures the mood and emotions of the prince as he watches the Swan Queen change forms; a mix of magic, loss and elegance.  As the review above notes, there is a wonderful mix of realism and surrealism involved in Zwerger’s work. Which strikes me as wonderful balance for fairy tales.  There is something more evocative and mysterious to these illustrations; a sense that there is more to the story than is capture in the words or the pictures.

As with other examples of Zwerger’s work, I am not sure this is a volume you would read with your children. The unique font again might make it hard to read out loud and the illustrations certainly appeal to adults. But to my mind there is no reason you can’t introduce more sophisticated art and ideas to children. This might be a great way to explore art and music and literature.

As should be clear by now, I am a huge fan of Zwerger and can’t get enough of her explorations and interpretations of classic stories and fairy tales.

Related articles

• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (Lisbeth Zwerger, illustrator) (collectedmiscellany.com)
• Thumbeline – Richard & Clara Winston (translators); Lizbeth Zwerger (Illustrator) (collectedmiscellany.com)
• Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Lisbeth Zwerger (illustrator) (collectedmiscellany.com)

An unexpected visitor makes Christmas special for a little boy. While performing a trial run for Santa Claus – the reindeer are far too dainty and aloof for such risky business – Mr. Moose goes off course and crashes through the roof of Billy Wagner’s house, injuring his leg. There’s nothing to do but to stay there until he recovers, regaling the family with stories until Father Christmas comes to get him. Billy’s fascination with Mr. Moose lifts the little boy’s spirits as he faces a new year of hope. This perennial best-seller in Germany will bring Christmas cheer to all readers.

A translated holiday story with charming illustrations? Yes, I will pick that up for the family. I read it last night and found it to be a quirky and enjoyable story.

I like the way the story blends in the miraculous nature of a talking moose who helps train Santa’s sleigh with the more mundane aspects of life: Billy’s know-it-all sister, his newly divorced mom’s feminist friend and her scarves, the helpful but nosey neighbor, etc.  The illustrations match this blend – sophisticated watercolors that have a cartoon quality. Billy is a likable character and his connection with Mr. Moose is charming; even if the bring back the divorced parents theme is somewhat over-done in the end. Even Know-it-all Kiki is endearing with her love of science and knowledge even as applied to something like Father Christmas and talking moose.

Little things make the story witty and realistic. The way the family feed grandma’s coconut biscuits to the ducks because she always burns them. How Billy fears his dark secret – breaking the neighbors eggs – will come out and ruin his Christmas.  How Mrs. Wagner’s motherly instincts kick in as they take care of Mr. Moose; and how much the family appreciates having a “pet” no matter how temporary and unique. Santa Clause as a rather brusque and demanding figure was a nice touch.

So if you are looking for something different for bedtime reading during the holidays check this one out.  A quirky story perfect as a short story for adults or to be read out loud with children.

Here is a good description from an education site:

Greek classics, with all their complexities, are understandably a little difficult for younger children to understand, but hey, with sea monsters, one-eyed giants, beautiful royalty, sailors on a dangerous sea, angry gods and goddesses, powerful enchantresses that can turn people into animals, and other strange creatures, there’s not much more than an adventure-craving reader could ask for in a book. Mary Pope Osbourne has retold The Odyssey for middle-grade readers, breaking it up into volumes of 8 or 9 chapters each. Large, readable print, and a “classic” look add to the appeal while the books also include additional information about Homer and The Odyssey, a map of the voyage, and a list of gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece. Also, a pronunciation guide to the names is appended, making the difficult job of stumbling through those long Greek names a little easier for youngsters.

I am not an expert on the Odyssey, or Greek mythology, by any means but I thought the series was a well done children’s version of this epic tale.  More thoughts below.

Osborne packs as much of the emotion and action into the stories as she can while keeping it simple and at an appropriate reading level. Obviously, you lose some of the depth and literary power when you simplify in this manner. But it is a great way to introduce the characters and the story arc.  You can glean a basic understanding of the Greek gods and goddesses and the basic plot of the Odyssey.

One things that struck me as I was reading was the smallness of the world at  the time.  Technology has “flattened” our world and make information ubiquitous. News flies around the world at the speed of light.  In this story, people must find out news by word of mouth as best they can. There is a great mystery as to what has really happened and who you can trust to provide accurate news from afar.  Odysseus‘s family is cut off from any real knowledge of what has happended and is forced to try and make sense of the scraps of legend and gossip that find their way to Ithaca.

I was also struck by how long Odysseus is kept from his family. Twenty years away from you wife and son!  No communication for twenty years. I am not sure why, but that struck me as an incredibly long time to be separated; and to hold on to your belief that your husband or father was still alive. The fact that story of his journey home is delayed and delayed by tragedy after tragedy really accentuates the tension and the weariness of Odysseus.

Image via Wikipedia

The other thing that really stands out is the role of hospitality in Greek culture and myth. Time after time Zeus is called upon and his protection of the stranger is invoked. Hospitality for strangers is a necessary part of a culture where death by the elements is a real threat and where there are not hotels readily available for travelers.  You welcome in the weary traveler because you know you just as easily be in the same situation.  Of course, you could also be showing hospitality to a disguised god or goddess!

But as noted above, this is also an important part of both entertainment and news gathering.  You invite a traveling stranger in to tell you about the wider world they have seen and to perhaps bring news of events.  The stories and myths of the oral tradition were of course part of the court entertainment but so were the tales and experiences of travelers and strangers.

As noted above, the volumes include a handy map of Odysseus’s Journey and a glossary of the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece (with pronunciations). Reading this children’s version made me want to go back and re-read the full story. And perhaps I will.

So if you have young readers who are looking for action and adventure, and a helpful introduction to this classic story, I recommend this well done series.

Here is Kirkus:

McCaughrean turns in a robust, exciting rendition of the world’s oldest written epic. After many astounding feats, proud, powerful king Gilgamesh sees his beloved sidekick Enkidu die, and becomes terrified of doing the same. Abandoning self-respect, he searches the world for the secret of immortality, crosses the Waters of Death to hear the tale of undying Utnapisthim (better knows as Noah), and at last returns home, to make wiser bids for immortality by telling his tale, and raising children. Thanks to the former, as McCaughrean points out, he’s better known today than Ishtar, Enlil, or any of the other “immortal” gods he fought and worshiped. Enhanced by Parkins’s expressionistic tableaus of gnarled, dramatically posed figures, she relates his adventures with gusto-”Gilgamesh calmly strung his bow. ‘Don’t launch the funeral barge yet. What can go wrong with the two of us side by side?’ ‘Do you really want me to tell you?’ said Enkidu”-while vividly capturing his pride, soul-deep anguish, and the personal cost of his hard-won wisdom. The most riveting retelling yet of this ancient, ageless tale.

This is a perfect example of why I find these young adult illustrated readers a great way to explore myths and the power of story. You get a great story with powerful and evocative language, wonderful illustrations and an accessible introduction to a timeless tale. What’s not to like?

What is remarkable is how McCaughrean manages to convey the power and deep emotion of this elemental story and yet keep it in a “family friendly” style. The temptation of Enkidu communicates the nature of desire and the way it changes Enkidu mentally and physically but leaves the actual sex off-stage so to speak.  In the same way the violence and emotions are handled very well. The anguish of Gilgamesh at Enkidu’s death is palpable but none of the scenes are too violent or disturbing for younger readers.

Readers also get an introduction to the stories that informed Mesopotamian cosmology and myth and eventually the Bible; the creation of man, the flood, etc.  Thus the book provides not only literary entertainment – a great story – but also a better understanding of culture and the role of myth.  Readers get a sense of the unchanging role of human nature; can see how elements of this ancient story are issues we can relate to and can even speak to us today.

So if you have ever wondered about this most ancient of stories, or if this is the first time you have heard about it, I highly recommend you check out this book. A great introduction to this particular myth and to the role of stories – for readers young and old.

Publishers Weekly, as usual, offers a nice overview:

Zwerger’s (The Wizard of Oz) captivating cover image of the Mad Tea-Party for this edition of Carroll’s 1865 tale conveys the psychological tension of the interior artwork: Alice, at the head of an elongated table with a pristine white linen cloth, stares at the pocket watch that the March Hare is about to lower into his cup of tea. The Hare, bug-eyed, gazes out at readers while the Mad Hatter to his right, wearing a hat box, fixates on a black upturned chapeau (in lieu of a place setting), and the Dormouse between them sleeps. Across the table, an empty red mug is placed in front of a vacant green chair, and a teacup and saucer trimmed in red seems to be set for the reader. The painting conveys the way in which Zwerger brilliantly manages both to invite readers into the story and to keep them at a distance. From the heroine’s first appearance, as she falls down a well while chasing the White Rabbit, with a glimpse of orderly bookshelves at the upper left corner, Zwerger demonstrates the many layers to Alice’s journey: a cutaway view reveals that the bulk of the other “”shelves”" are the result of rats and insects tunneling underground. The supporting cast conveys the artist’s nearly sardonic perspective. The contrary caterpillar, with six of its eight arms crossed, would be at home in New York’s East Village: instead of a hookah it smokes a cigarette and sips red wine, yet–unlike Sir John Tenniel‘s sedated counterpart–this caterpillar is lucid, defiantly staring out at an Alice (and readers) absent from the scene. Zwerger’s penetrating interpretation reinvents Carroll’s situations and characters and demands a rereading of the text.

Two sentences worth noting:

• “The painting conveys the way in which Zwerger brilliantly manages both to invite readers into the story and to keep them at a distance.”
• “Zwerger’s penetrating interpretation reinvents Carroll’s situations and characters and demands a rereading of the text.”

Of course, there is always the question of what does it all mean?

Related articles

• Stories from the Bible illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger (collectedmiscellany.com)
• Thumbeline – Richard & Clara Winston (translators); Lizbeth Zwerger (Illustrator) (collectedmiscellany.com)
• The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel by Heinz Janisch , Lisbeth Zwerger (Illustrator) , Anthea Bell (Translator) (collectedmiscellany.com)

And it turned out to be a sweet, dream-like fairy tale; and at the same time an inspirational story about the power of dreams and the determination to follow them.

Here is the publisher’s teaser:

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her?

The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (An elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that Peter can hardly dare to believe it.

But it is-all of it-true.

It is worth noting that writing a fairy tale is harder than it might sound.  It is not easy to write short elegant, dream-like fairy tales that don’t come off too saccharine or derivative, etc. The best evidence that DiCamillo had succeeded was that I kept reading until I had finished the story without thinking about it; she drops you into this world and you are soon caught up in it and suspend your disbelief as the saying goes. The story feels like a real fairy tale if that makes sense.

DiCamillo’s simple yet poetic prose creates this atmosphere and fills the story with interesting characters who all play a role in the adventure.  And despite knowing from very early on that this story is likely to have a happy ending you want to keep reading to find out exactly how each characters story plays out. There is a rhythm and flow that draws you forward despite much suspense or sense of danger. You are drawn forward by the character’s personality, history and emotions.

Peter is an earnest young man on the edge of being too good or too sweet but who you find yourself rooting for nevertheless. DiCamillo manages to impart the poignancy of being an orphan with the possibility of a family member still out there; and Peter’s pain at having failed somehow to protect his sister.  This carries over to the policeman and his wife who also have dreams of family and a deep need to be made whole. And the magician, and the elephant, etc.

All of the characters have dreams and all are looking for a way to connect the seemingly cruel fate they have been dealt to something larger and more hopeful. And the appearance of the elephant miraculously, or should I say magically, offers the opportunity for these dreams to come true.

The Magician’s Elephant is a classic story and one that I plan on reading out loud to my children and encouraging them to read as they get older.

Familiar with Norton’s other books but not this volume, I was intrigued from the start:

One night, when he should be safe in bed, young James is whisked away by his friend Mildred to the fairy tale land of Happily Ever After. There Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are middle-aged gossips; Bell’s husband, the Beast, spends his days hunting dragon and unicorn; And Jack-the-Giant-Killer and Jack-of-the-beanstalk while away their retirement telling yarns about slaying the last of the giants.

But the two Jack’s aren’t quite telling the truth: one fierce man-eating giant still lives. And to spare his friend Princess Dulcibel from have to marry an enchanted toad, James must steal something from the dreaded giant’s bone-strewn lair, a place where even the veteran giant-killers fear to tread.

Sucked in by this back of the book blurb, I decided to read it right away not really knowing what to expect.  It turned out to be a clever, if simple, story about courage and belief; and about fairy and folk tales. In classic fairy tale form James faces his fears and saves the princess – just not in exactly the way he might have imagined.

A few of the things I liked about the story:

I like the way Norton just drops you in the story without a lot of back-story or introduction. Throughout the story the writing gives you a sense that this is just one of many adventure James and Mildred have had together and that there is a lot more to this world than this one story.  This gives the world and the characters some depth and adds a sense of mystery.

There is also a laid back sense about the story – it has a rather old fashioned style.  It is not constant action or fast paced adventure. Instead, there is a sense of exploration – the ability to imagine and experience a magical world – but also a sense of danger lurking of the path.

But the story is told from James’s perspective and so we see him trying to make sense of this world and at the same time finding his limits and talents.  When confronted with a friend who needs help he instinctively sets out to help her even if it means confronting a witch.  And despite worries about being alone, he decided to stay with the two Jack’s rather than the safety of Mildred. And he gently guides Dulcibel along in their quest. He confidently climbs the crevice and when the rains force a change of plans he wisely avoids trying to climb back down.

In the end, James works up the courage to ask Dulcibel to face her fears and agree to marry the toad (using the talisman as protection).  James believes this is what is best for his friend.  But, as is so often the case in fairy tales, it does work out for good but not in the way James expected.

It really is a simple tale but one where you enjoy the journey as much as the destination. The allusions to fairy tales, the way the characters interact, the descriptions of the magical world and the language its inhabitants use, and of course the great illustrations all make this short story enjoyable.

A classic I am very happy to have stumbled upon.

Hans Christian Andersen Medalist Lisbeth Zwerger cunningly illustrates 11 folktales about Till Eulenspiegel, the famous sixteenth-century German folk hero, popular in legend as a shrewd trickster. In this handsome reissue, she chronicles Till’s pranks from his triple dunking at his baptism, to his funeral, at which he leaves a last trick for his mourners. Zwerger’s celebrated wit and insouciant style are the perfect complements to the antics of this notorious merrymaker.

I will be honest: I bought this one mostly for the art. I have a growing collection of folk tales and story books for children but I am not sure my kids would enjoy this one.  It is an interesting reference point for German folklore but it is mostly the art of Zwerger that drew me to the book.

And the art is playful, colorful and evocative.  As PW says, “Both art and text are distinctly quaint and European.”  This is another book that I would be tempted to cut up in order to use the illustrations as prints. But I am too much of a book person to perform something so sacrilegious.

The stories are simple and silly – so maybe they are exactly the sort of thing children would love.

Who the heck is this Til Eulenspiegel you ask? Let us turn to that ubiquitous source of wisdom, Wikipedia:

Till Eulenspiegel was an impudent trickster figure originating in Middle Low German folklore. His tales were disseminated in popular printed editions narrating a string of lightly connected episodes that outlined his picaresque career, primarily in Germany, the Low Countries and France.

Care for some academic analysis of all of this? Of course you do:

In the stories, he is presented as a trickster or fool who played practical jokes on his contemporaries, exposing vices at every turn, greed and folly, hypocrisy and foolishness. As Peter Carels notes, “The fulcrum of his wit in a large number of the tales is his literal interpretation of figurative language.” In these stories, anything that can go wrong in communication, does go wrong. And it is not the exception that communication gives rise to complications; rather, it is the rule. As a model of communication, Till Eulenspiegel is the inherent, unpredictable factor of complication that can throw any communication, whether with oneself or others, into disarray. These irritations, amounting to conflicts, have the potential of effecting mental paradigm changes and increases in the level of consciousness, and in the end, of leading to truth. Although craftsmen are featured as the principal victims of his pranks, neither the nobility nor the pope are exempt from being fooled by him.

Well, I am not sure I can add to that in any intelligent way.  I am not a scholar of folklore or communication just someone who enjoys stories; particularly those with beautiful illustrations.

But it is interesting how ubiquitous the trickster character is across time and geography.  Part of human nature, I suppose …

Anyways, this particular volume has some beautiful illustrations to go along with the simple folk tales. My favorite, which illustrates th story Til Would Like To Fly, is also the art for the cover jacket (the cover on the actual book is above).  This small photo really doesn’t do it justice but it hints at it at least.

Unless you are a fan of Zwerger or interested in German folklore I doubt this is something you are going to rush out and buy. Hence, my finding it at a library sale ..

But what is the point of a blog if you can’t share your particular obsession?  For our next Zwerger post we will look at something a little more conventional.

Related articles

• Thumbeline – Richard & Clara Winston (translators); Lizbeth Zwerger (Illustrator) (collectedmiscellany.com)
• Stories from the Bible illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger (collectedmiscellany.com)