Brown, Marcia Books

Stone Soup (Stories to Go!)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

School Librarian 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

It's hard to read aloud to a group and show the pictures because of its smaller size.

Stone Soup Forever 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a timeless story that I have told to firstly my children, and now my grandchildren. We cook 'stone soup' on many occasions,and even finicky eaters cannot resist the soup after they know the story. My eldest grandson (13) has his favourite stone that has served as the basis for the soup in recent times. He takes great delight in serving stone soup to his friends and showing them his 'stone'. The story I heard as a child was of a French soldier returning home after a Napolionic War where the village he entered was devestated by war etc. The underlying context of shared co-operation is wonderful example of how we can all get along together if we all put in something....

Editorial Review:

Three soldiers came marching down the road towards a French village. The peasants seeing them coming, suddenly became very busy, for soldiers are often hungry. So all the food was hidden under mattresses or in barns. There followed a battle of wits, with the soldiers equal to the occasion. Stone soup? Why, of course, they could make a wonderful soup of stones...but, of course, one must add a carrot or tow...some meat...so it went.

Marcia Brown has made of this old tale a very gay book, a carnival of activity, of dancing and laughter. So much goes on in the pictures that children who have once heard the story will turn to them again and again, retelling the story for themselves.

A French version of the story is available under the title Une Drôle de Soupe.

Three Billy Goats Gruff

Peter Christen Asbjornsen, J. E. Moe, Marcia Brown

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Marcia Brown's 1957 "Billy Goats Gruff" 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

PS - I agree: How lame that Amazon has mixed together reviews for all these various versions of "Three Billy Goats Gruff." They are all so different and all by different illustrators and authors!

Anyway, this is a comment about Marcia Brown's 1957 version, which I found to be incredibly gory. Rather than merely knock the troll off the bridge, this billy goat gruff graphically dismembers him, poking out his eyes and reducing him to "bits, body and bones." Yuck! There are other, mellower version out there... This one's not a favorite. (ReadThatAgain!)

A fabulous addition to your library - classroom or home. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book on an impulse, simply based on the brightly colored illustrations and a brief refrain that that appears when you look inside the book. I couldn't be more delighted with this purchase. The book is a wonderful addition to my fairy tale library and my kindergarten kids absolutely LOVE listening to and participating in the retelling of the story, especially the rhyming refrain..... "I'm a troll from a deep dark hole - my belly's getting thinner. I need to eat and goat's a treat - so I'll have you for my dinner!".

Editorial Review:

Three clever billy goats outwit a big, ugly troll that lives under the bridge they must cross on their way up the mountain.

Once a Mouse...

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Here I come to save the day 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Described in its day as attaining, "a fluidity rare in the medium", this illustrated book of woodcuts tells a simple fable that has remained beloved for decades. Claiming to be a tale told from ancient India, the story follows a man, a mouse, and the downfall of pride. A wise hermit lives alone in the forest when he happens to spy a mouse about to be eaten. Fearful for the little creature, the man changes his new friend into a cat. When a dog threatens his cat, he turns the mouse into a dog, and then (after a similar situation) into a tiger. Now a fine feline of a beast, the former mouse lords his newfound state over the other animals of the forest. After planning the death of his benefactor, the man changes the tiger into a mouse again and everything goes back to as it was (with the mouse, I suspect, a little wiser).

The woodcuts are fine indeed. Delicate little illustrations imbued with life and verve. From snarling dogs to transformed mice the images stand for themselves. I hadn't been aware of the author/illustrator's work before reading her winning, "Stone Soup". After comparing the two, I have to say they're definitely of equal interest. It's nice to see a book giving a clear sighted look at a fable from another country (in this case, India) without any stereotypes or racism. All in all, it's a nice little book with a strong moral core.

Editorial Review:

A hermit knows the magic to change a small mouse into a cat, a dog, and a majestic tiger -- and Marcia Brown's magical woodcuts bring this Indian fable to life with the mastery that won her her second Caldecott Medal.

Cinderella

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Cinderelly 4 out of 5 stars.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.

There are parents in the world for whom nothing but the definitive edition of a book is good enough for their little ones. Fairy tales? Find them the quintessential edition of "The Three Little Pigs" or "Rapunzel" and they are pleased. Ordinarily this is a bit of a task. I mean, what truly makes one version of a story any better than another if they are vastly different in composition and interpretation? Which brings me to that 1955 Caldecott award winning little number, "Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper". Retold and illustrated by that deity amongst children's authors, Marcia Brown, the book is a most perfect retelling of the classic Cinderella story. It's not the gory Grimm Brothers version (no eyes are pecked out nor heels chopped off) nor the hokey Disney concoction. It is instead it's own sweet little creation, perfectly preserved within itself. Written in the 1950s it simply tells a tale that it would be a good idea to know if you're going to operate fully in society.

Usually at this point in the review I summarize the book. But to be perfectly frank, I don't feel like doing that with this one. "Cinderella" is what it is. Girl, evil step-relatives, fairy godmother, pumpkin, prince, shoe, the end. There you go. That's the whole story in brief simple terms. Brown's edition isn't as dull and staid as some of the traditional retellings, which is a relief to anyone reading and rereading this book to their kidoo. Cinderella is just as lovely as ever with her blond hair and big eyelashed eyes. What struck my fancy in this book is the odd mish-mash of costume styles present throughout. When that good old fairy godmother appears she looks like a slightly moderated version of Queen Elizabeth complete with ruff and appropriate gown. However, the stepsisters are clearly seen to be tied into corsets (circa 1890s, yes no?) while applying beauty marks (ala the French Revolution). The prince also appears to be a bit of a 1700s swag, but his very presence makes it clear that whatever the time period, this book is clearly set in a rather fantastical era.

As for the pictures themselves, they're evocative and lovely. Somehow Brown's choice of palette ensures that the book is bound to be loved and remembered fondly by children and adults for years and years and years. I could go into some odd diatribe about the inherent sexism of the book and Cinderella supremely wishy-washy tendencies, but for once let's just let the book be. It's a nice story rendered in colorful cotton candy hues and presented in a lovely light-hearted package. It may not be the smartest Marcia Brown creation, but I understand why she wasn't ashamed of it. If you'd like a version of "Cinderella" that just tells the story and gives you something lovely to look at, choose this one. It's purpose is to tell the tale in it simplest childlike form. And it succeeds.

Editorial Review:

In her haste to flee the palace before the fairy godmother's magic loses effect, Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper.

All Butterflies: An ABC

Marcia Brown

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Editorial Review:

Pairs of words, such as "All Butterflies," "Cat Dance," and "Elephants Fly," are set against illustrative woodcuts.

Sopa De Piedras / Stone Soup (Spanish Edition)

Marcia Brown

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Awesome Lesson 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I definitely recommend this book, because in a simple manner a new way to approach a goal is taught leaving you the option to pursue and reach.

Because the limitation that it is imposed at the beginning is overriden at the end, all were able to participate in the method.

I give a true recommendation to my friends and to all of you reading this.

Editorial Review:

When three hungry soldiers come to a town where all the food has been hidden, they set out to make soup of water and stones, and all the town enjoys a feast. In Spanish.

Shadow (From the French of Blaise Cendrars)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Don't try sewing it on with soap 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

If you want to watch the progression of an artist, just take a gander at the life and accomplishments of the author/illustrator Marcia Brown. The winner of at least three, count 'em, three Caldecott awards, Ms. Brown began her career with lovely but simple picture books. As her work progressed and her talents extended, she moved outside of her comfort zone and began to take bigger and better risks. As a result, "Shadow" was published in 1982, won the 1983 Caldecott, and remains her best work today. A translation of a French poem by the author Blaise Cendrars, the book is a stunning amalgamation of lyrical text, fabulous illustrations, and jaw dropping metaphors.

Before I describe the book, I want to make something clear. This book is meant to entrance. If you have a child that is comfortable reading (or being read) a story about shadows and our own shadowy natures, this is an ideal tale. If, however, you have a literal minded child that doesn't particularly take to stories that lack plots, avoid "Shadow". In this tale the very nature of our darker sides is explored. Marcia Brown, using her customary woodcut techniques, takes us to different parts of Africa. Here, we see scenes that compliment the text. The book describes Shadow with the enigmatic line, "The eye has no shadow". We follow the tale through the nighttime, as Shadow slides behind storytellers and watches you as you sleep. Equally trickster and companion, Shadow is always dark but it does not kill. Blind, it cannot see but will pull the eagle and the vulture if they try to raise it. The final lines in the poem think deeply about the nature of shadows. "Every breath stirs it to life. It is a game. A dance".

Equally prone to statements like, "Shadow itself has no shadow" and "It follows man everywhere, even to war", the book is tackling a very serious subject in a colorful picture book form. And remarkably, it works. The text is translated by Marcia Brown herself (is there anything she can't do?) and is a deep thoughtful series of images. Matching the tone are some of Brown's darkest images yet. There are some freakin' scary images here. The shot of the blind shadow kneeling and stretching its arms out towards the viewer... that's frightening stuff. There's also an image of a mask with deep jagged teeth that, though awesome in the best sense of the word, is a bit of a shock. The images of Africa featured here are done respectfully and with a great deal of talent. Who can resist the silhouetted shot of a forest against the multi-colored sky of the setting sun? In the foreground a black snake with red diamonds curls down a tree trunk. Using watercolored papers and woodblock human characters I can't even begin to describe the technical expertise that must have gone into this book's production. Needless to say, it works beautifully. You feel the grassy plains where the animals run. You can almost touch the stone mountains and rough paths that lead people to war.

Some picture books are written solely to distract children for a few minutes time. Others hope to be taken a little more seriously and bring deep questions to mind. Then there are books like, "Shadow" that become art itself. The book should have won the Caldecott based on its use of color alone. It's a gorgeous undertaking that will engross and enrapture even the most tentative reader. Consider it highly recommended.

Editorial Review:

A full-size reissue of a Caldecott Medal winner offers beautiful collages and an evocative text that capture the elusive mystery of Shadow, a figure from African folklore who lives in the margins of belief and the past. Reissue. C. K. AB.

The Snow Queen

Hans Christian Andersen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Oh the weather outside is frightful... 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I once read an article in Horn Book Magazine (a review source of titles and articles on children's literature) that lamented the millions of poor translations of Hans Christian Andersen polluting the minds of our young people today. The review mentioned that stories like, "The Snow Queen", which were originally written in a snappy vernacular, have been dumbed down and drained of all energy by their American translators. With this idea fresh in my mind I found myself in possession of a very particular copy of "The Snow Queen" and I was able to test this theory myself. Now due to the wacky nature of Amazon.com, the website has lumped together the reviews of every single version of this Anderson story. You will see that some of the reviews refer to Nilesh Mistry's, some refer to the audio book, some to Eileen Kernaghan's, and some (God help us all) to Mary Engelbreit. None of these, however, are the version that I am reviewing. After careful consideration, I selected the edition retold by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers. The Ehrlich/Jeffers team has banded together to bring us every fairy tale from Thumbelina to Cinderella. With this 1982 classic edition, they bring all the creepy and crawly elements of Andersen's riveting tale to a kind of tame middlebrow life.

Most people don't remember that "The Snow Queen" begins when the devil creates a mirror that reflects everything good as bad. By a quirk of fate the mirror is smashed one day (the details of this accident are left unclear) and the tiny pieces go spinning into the atmosphere. If these splinters enter your eye, everything will look ugly to you. If they enter your heart, it will turn instantly to ice. Got it? Good. Cause sure enough, two small pieces enter the eye and the heart of a boy named Kai. When this happens he stops playing with his best playmate Gerta and instead falls under the seductive spell of the mysterious and magnificently pale Snow Queen. Gerta goes in search of her friend but is waylaid by a variety of different adventures. She escapes an overly loving old witch, is taken in by a prince and princess, falls into the power of a thief girl and her kin, and at last saves Kai from the Snow Queen herself. By the end of the book, neither kid is a child any longer and their home is just as they left it.

Obviously "The Snow Queen" is one big ole story about growing up. The idea of the devil's mirror causing someone to despise anything they see and grow a suddenly cold heart... well that's just another way of describing adolescence, is it not? Andersen obviously borrowed quite a lot from that classic old tale, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon", in which another girl goes off to save the man she loves from the machinations of a wicked woman. Heck, "Tam Lin" was probably an influence as well. The best version of this particular story I ever read was by Kara Dalkey. It was a tale named, "The Lady of the Ice Garden" and can be found in "Firebirds: An Anthology of Original Science Fiction and Fantasy". It is not, however, appropriate for children. Kids today will probably look at "The Snow Queen" and instantly think of the White Witch from "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". I cannot think, however, that this is a bad thing.

As for the Jeffers/Ehrlich version, it's all right. As an illustrator, Jeffers has apparently decided to make Kai and Gerta definitely children. I guess that lowers the creepiness factor when the Snow Queen lures the boy to her sleigh and wraps him in her furs. Jeffers really captures beautifully every diamond in the Snow Queen's dress and every strand of her white white hair. There is the odd stylistic choice here and there, though. When Gerta surprises the prince and princess in their bed, it is not your typical mattress affair but rather large his and her flower petals. I can't think that they're comfortable (or even particularly practical). The illustrations have been created, according to the book, "using a fine-line pen with ink and dyes. They were applied over a detailed pencil drawing that was then erased". As a result, the book is as soft as a colored pencil, but with a level of detail and intricacy normally associated with pen and ink.

Obviously I don't know enough about the original version of "The Snow Queen" (or, as Andersen called it, "Sneedronningen") to know whether or not this book is a worthy version to read to your tots. At any rate, it tells the full story, warts and all, and will provide them with what may well be the most Freudian-toned fairy tale ever to grace their little brains. A fun edition of a rather odd tale.

Editorial Review:

A little girl journeys to the Snow Queen's domain to search for her friend whose heart has been turned to ice.

Sing a Song of Popcorn. Every Child's Book of Poems

David McCord, James Reeves, Pauline Clarke, Miscellaneous authors

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An excellent resource for elementary teachers :) 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poetry and the beautiful illustrations which accompany. As a kindergarten teacher, I found the anthology to be an invaluable resource for introducing young children (or any children) to the world of poetry. :

A great addition of any bookshelf 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This marriage of poetry and illustrations is like no other. As an educator I enjoy the layout of the book. The poems are divided into categories such as poems about weather, spooky poems, and animal poems. The illustrations are by Caldecott Medal artists - the best of the best! I have purchased countless copies of Sing a Song of Popcorn as it is a perfect gift to give to families to celebrate the arrival of a new baby. It is a book that all members of the family can enjoy - the young ones will enjoy the rhyming patterns of some of the poems and the silliness of others. The adults will treasure the inclusion of such classic poems as Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and Jack Prelutsky's entertaining "The Spaghetti Nut".

Editorial Review:

Title: Sing a Song of Popcorn. Every Child's Book of Poems. Illustrated by nine Caldecott Medal artists. Selected by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, Eva Moore, Mary Michaels White and Jan Carr.

Dick Whittington and His Cat

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

How a cat is able to get its owner a great fortune. 5 out of 5 stars.
24 of 24 people found this review helpful.

This is a children's book based on the legend surrounding Richard Whittington. Whittington, who died in 1423, was mayor of London 1397-1399, 1406-1407, and 1419-1420. He became very prosperous and generous. The legend says that he was a homeless boy who did odd jobs in a house and kept a cat to keep the rats away. But, he had to send the cat off on a trading ship. The cat was sold to a Moorish ruler whose kingdom had been overrun with rats. The cat becomes a noted ratter and the ruler bestows a great treasure on Whittington. (However, the historical Whittington appears to have been the son of a knight of Gloucester). The earliest known appearance of the legend is in 1605. This book was a 1951 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children. I've always found it of interest to discover how much children enjoy stories that are based on real people.

Editorial Review:

The well-loved tale of the London waif whose cat's prowess as a ratter results in Dick's becoming a successful merchant and Lord Mayor of London. Illustrated.