Kingfisher Book Of Nursery Tales

Generations of children have listened enthralled to the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This gorgeous new collection brings these and other nursery favorites to a new generation of little ones, inspiringly retold by a popular writer for this young age group. Filled with vitality and fun, Vivian French"s retellings are perfect to read aloud, while Stephen Lambert"s charming illustrations bring the tales to life on every page. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2-The eight selections in this collection reflect the author's belief that nursery tales should offer "a good dollop of common sense- and a simple but clear morality." French's modern retellings provide entertaining details and humor. The big bad wolf climbs down the chimney of the third little pig and falls into a pot of parsnips and peppercorns. He subsequently runs off holding his bum, while the pigs bemoan the loss of their meal and settle on green pea soup. Gender roles are not traditional; females and males are equally good, smart, selfish, witless, etc. Sister pig builds the brick structure; Mama Bear repairs the chair while Papa makes more porridge. The characters are lively, with expressions that reflect the stories' moods. Some the richly colored paintings are full page; others fit around the edges of the text. The depiction of the full cast of characters pulling the turnip out of the ground is particularly expressive. With his fine manners and stylish attire, the wolf in "Little Red Riding Hood" is too charming to dismiss. However, some readers may find the bright contrasting colors of the occasional geometric borders have a distracting optical effect. Overall, though, the collection is well done. The ratio of text to pictures makes it better suited to sharing than for storytimes; it will also be a suitable choice for children looking to venture beyond beginning readers.-Carolyn Janssen, Children's Learning Center of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH Copyright å¨ Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review The characters are lively, with expressions that reflect the stories' moods...the collection is well done. (School Library Journal ) Playfully retells eight of the best-known fairy tales...with charming spot illustrations and full-bleed paintings. (Publishers Weekly ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.