On hot summer nights, Amani’s parents permit her to go outside and play in the apartment courtyard, where the breeze is cool and her friends are waiting. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. 3-7)Ī retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting. Rooster might be under the weather, but his well-written story leaves the reader feeling just fine.

The delightful illustrations are full of funny facial expressions and clever details that will have both children and adults giggling.

Rostoker-Gruber has created a farm-animal story in the best tradition of cumulative tales but with the added spice of deadpan humor, groan-worthy puns, and witty dialogue appropriate to each species. Since Farmer Ted is now hopelessly behind in his chores, he receives help from all the animals in quite hilarious ways while Rooster rests in a lawn chair by the pond, sipping tea with honey to help his throat. With whispers and coughing, he wakes up each set of animals on the farm, and they all go on to the next unhappy group until they reach the farmhouse to wake the farmer by forming an animal pyramid up to his window. Pity poor Rooster-he has a terrible sore throat, his tail feathers are drooping, and he can’t possibly do his cock-a-doodle-doo to get the farm going in the morning.

Misery cock a doodle car