The rabbit and the turtle Aesop's fables

Carle originally published Twelve Tales from Aesop in 1980. Eleven of those stories were included in his Eric Carle's Treasury of Classic Stories for Children (1988) and now 10 of them appear in a new, redesigned book. The most noticeable change in the text is the addition of a stated moral at the end of each fable. The painted-paper collage artwork is now reproduced larger than before on whiter, glossier pages. Libraries with shopworn copies of the earlier books on their shelves may find that the fresher, more vibrant-looking artwork here is reason enough to purchase this one.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2008 Booklist

In this freshened-up reissue of Twelve Tales from Aesop (1980), the art goes to full-page and is reprinted in bright, glowing colors, while the familiar fables have been rearranged and given explicit morals. One story has been dropped (possibly due to disputed origins), and the rest lightly edited; the mouse in "The Lion and the Mouse," for instance, is now female. Each tale appears on the left-hand page with its corresponding illustration on the facing page, making for a sometimes text-heavy experience. Eric Carle's Treasury of Classic Stories for Children (1988) also includes versions of all of these--but where the earlier renditions aren't available, this makes an appealing choice for sharing with younger children or with readers who might prefer a "Grasshopper and the Ants" in which the grasshopper survives. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.