Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 4^-6. This handsome edition of Kipling's 12 original stories features 10 color plates as well as a number of black-and-white ink drawings. The drawings have a rather sketchy, informal look, whereas the watercolor paintings reflect the more polished, formal style of character portraits often seen in Moser's work. Libraries that offer a selection of the classics will want to add this version to their collections. Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In the first of two planned volumes, Wallace uses a mix of watercolor, crayon, pastel, and chalk to honor the wild invention and wilder language of Kipling's classic tales of anthropomorphic animals, adventure, and absurdity. Six stories appear-including "How the Whale Got His Throat" and "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin"-and Wallace contributes four or so full-page images for each tale. The illustrations blend playfulness with arresting imagery, providing an enticing entry point for readers. In the fiery, sunset-hued opening scene of "The Elephant's Child," the snub-nosed elephant "with his 'satiable curiosities" gets a firm kick from his aunt Ostrich, while the camel in "How the Camel Got His Hump" is shown in skeletal profile as his impertinent "Humph!" is transformed into his trademark hump. Ages 5-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-The first of two volumes, this book presents six of Kipling's timeless tales, freshly interpreted through superb mixed-media paintings. Consistent stylistic elements, such as the use of texture and muted edges, give the book an elegant overall look, and each story is individualized by its own color scheme and exquisitely delineated setting, adding a delightful sense of discovery. The illustrations for "How the Whale Got His Throat" balance cool maritime greens and blues with sherbet sunset skies; desert scenes for "How the Camel Got His Hump" shimmer with blazing reds and yellows and an almost tangible sand-swept veneer; and images for "The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo" depict an Australian outback that is at once austere and dramatically hued. Softly realistic, the various protagonists radiate personality: "The Elephant's Child" possesses a charmingly stubby nose and wide-eyed innocence; the leopard is sleek and dignified with or without his spots; and the ill-mannered rhinoceros rampages past a Parsee's striped pavilion, brandishing a stolen cake on his horn (never fear, the man will soon work his revenge, leaving the rhino with a loose skin and "a very bad temper"). Throughout, these lovely paintings embrace the nuances of each tale and add to their sense of wonder.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Afterword by Peter Glassman. Ten color plates as well as a number of black-and-white drawings appear throughout this collection of Kipling's twelve classic 'pourquoi' tales. Moser's expressive, elegant watercolors are beautifully executed but lack some of the vitality and energy of Kipling's rhythmic prose. From HORN BOOK 1996, (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
A sunset-colored cover beckons readers to a newly illustrated edition of the classic collection. The wraparound jacket presents a surreal dreamscape that encapsulates the transformations Kipling describes in his stories. On the back, a humpless camel and short-nosed elephant enjoy a moonlit dip, while their reflections reveal hump and trunk; on the front, a short-legged kangaroo, smooth-skinned rhino and spotless leopard likewise appear above their transformed reflections. Within, readers will find six of Kipling's tales: "How the Whale Got His Throat"; "How the Camel Got His Hump"; "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin"; "How the Leopard Got His Spots"; "The Elephant's Child"; and "The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo." Each story is illustrated with four luminous, full-color paintings, most occupying a single page in the manner of old-fashioned color plates. Also like color plates, the specific scene illustrated is indicated with a representative selection from the text. Wallace invests each scene, including the humorous ones, with poetic gravitas and refrains from anthropomorphizing his animal characters. Herons scattering above the Elephant's Child, nose clutched tight in the Crocodile's maw, indicate his very real danger; the Ethiopian solemnly marks the Leopard's coat with his fingers. An illustrator's note explains the genesis of the book and his artistic approach to each individual story. Volume 2, completing the collection, is due out in spring 2014. An elegant, timeless treatment for all those best beloved. (Short stories. 5 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
