Superb artwork enhances this offbeat, minimalist retelling of the old Russian folktale in which Baba Yaga the witch is outwitted by an innocent little girl, with the help of a magic doll bequeathed to her by her now-dead mother. The outlines of the tale are familiar enough: the hapless, persecuted child, here named Too Nice, driven into the forest by her cruel stepsisters, Horrid and Too Horrid; the witch's house on chicken legs; the impossible tasks that are accomplished with the aid of the magic doll; the child's return with one of Baba Yaga's possessions (here a predatory toad) that finishes off Too Nice's tormentors. Some of the more colorful details of other versions are lacking here, and Baba Yaga has more bark than bite; when Too Nice passes the final test, Baba Yaga dances elatedly, less a mortal menace than a therapist who has practiced tough love. Brown's illustrations add psychological depth to the tale, with the barely visible figure of Too Nice's dead mother embracing her daughter on the front cover, the ominous black endpapers, the depiction of Too Nice's siblings as carbon copies of her; the caricature of housewifery in Baba Yaga's scraggly broom, her sloshing cauldron, and the rows of preserve jars holding ingredients for ghastly stews. Particularly striking are the scenes where the doll's shadow, hugely magnified by the angle of the light, completes Baba Yaga's impossible tasks. It's not particularly ``Russian'' in style, but it is excellent witchy stuff. (Picture book/folklore. 6- 10)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-525-45947-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1998
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
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