Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4^-8. Vagin offers a crisp, appealing addition to the print retellings of this classic musical fairy tale, taken from the symphony by Sergei Prokofiev. In a mostly smooth, simple text, he follows the classic story closely, ending this time with the wolf in a zoo and the duck he swallowed safely back in Peter's arms. The art, too, is traditional. In his signature, representational style, Vagin places Peter and his grandfather in a typical Russian dacha surrounded by a lush forest, a historic village of onion-domed buildings in the distance. Despite the story's suspense, Vagin's illustrations have a gentle cast: unlike other versions, such as Migelanxo Prado's (1998), which featured a harsh grandfather and dark, foreboding forest scenes, Vagin's grandfather appears to be sweet and caring and the wolf more neutral than menacing. Vagin waits until the end to discuss the tale's symphonic roots, with a final page that briefly introduces Prokofiev and includes the musical score for each animal. Those looking for a more musical retelling will appreciate Loriot's 1986 version, with Jorg Muller's inset illustrations of an orchestra alongside scenes from Peter's story. Gillian Engberg
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-This retelling closely follows the original story, with the exception of the duck's safe return at the end. The concise, readable narrative would meld nicely with the orchestral interpretation of the story and be an entertaining read-aloud. Playing or singing each character's musical theme (all seven of them are appended) adds a delightful element, for the story and music were written with the intent of introducing children to the instruments of the orchestra. The pencil-and-watercolor illustrations effectively combine folk art with realistic detail. The furtive wolf is especially well drawn. Scenic views range from panoramas to close-ups and from ground-level views to treetop perspectives looking down on the action. Large vignettes alternate with two-page spreads. Vagin's interpretation is equally as appealing as Charles Mikolaycak's bold peasant scenes (Viking, 1982; o.p.), which have more of a fairytale quality. Both editions contain notes about Prokofiev and the symphony, but only Vagin's book includes music.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. 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.
Review by Horn Book Review
Prokofiev's familiar musical story about Peter, who is told to look out for the wolf, is illustrated in colored pencil and watercolor. Vagin has included details of Russian country life in the settings and clothing and does a fine job dramatizing the story in which Peter saves a cat, bird, and duck from the wolf--and one another. The music for each character's theme is included. From HORN BOOK Fall 2001, (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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An adventurous boy disregards his grandfathers orders to remain behind the closed garden gate when a fierce wolf is spotted in the neighborhood. When the dangerous wolf threatens Peters wildlife friends in the meadow, he succeeds in tricking and capturing it with the help of a small bird. The happy ending shows the hunters, Peter and Grandfather, proudly leading the wolf to the zoo. The story is best known as the narrative to Prokofievs symphony written for children, which introduces orchestral instruments through musical themes that represented each character. To those already familiar with the music, it may reverberate in their heads as they read the text. For those unfamiliar with the music, an afterword includes the musical notation and instrumentation of the themes and a very brief biography of Prokofiev. Peters story stands alone, illustrated with Vagins (The Enormous Carrot, 1998, etc.) pencil and watercolor drawings. Clothing, tableware, architecture, and Peters toys represent the pre-Revolutionary Russia of Prokofievs music and portray an authentic Russian folk quality. Each action-filled page depicts the personalities of the characters and their realistic actions: the cat hunches close to the ground as she stalks the bird; the wolf licks his lips in anticipation of a tasty meal; the ducks feathers fly as he tries to run before the wolf swallows him whole. The exciting illustrations give another context to a modern folktale than can co-exist with the symphony that first made it famous. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
