Puss In Boots

Puss in Boots

An adaptation of the adventures of the clever, swashbuckling Puss in Boots as he helps his young master overcome poverty to achieve fame, fortune, and the princess of his dreamsFrom Publishers WeeklyIn this wordless interpretation of the famous tale, a foreword provides a page-by-page synopsis of the enterprising feline's exploits. Indeed, rendered in Goodall's ( Little Red Riding Hood ; The Story of a Castle ) rich, expressive watercolors, text would seem superfluous. His Puss is a masterpiece of slyness and guile, whose ingenuity in advancing his master's fortunes is matched only by the boundless energy with which he carries out his schemes. Supporting characters--Puss's master, the king and his courtiers, country peasants and especially the hideous, rotund ogre whom Puss tricks out of his lands--are presented with sure, vivid strokes, as are the castles and countryside which comprise the story's setting. As is typical of this gifted artist's works, partial pages alternate with those of regular size--a witty device that provides numerous surprises. Every spread contains an array of splendid details, and also offers a powerful springboard for the reader's own imagination. Ages 4-8.Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalGrade 1-3-- This wordless retelling of the popular tale follows the familiar pattern of Perrault's version. Wily Puss, with his red boots, gallant hat, and sack slung over his shoulder, furthers his poor young master's cause by trapping game as a gift for the king, finagling a princely suit of clothes to woo the princess, persuading peasants to claim (falsely) his master as landowner, and defeating an ogre to gain possession of his castle, all in the apocryphal name of the Marquis of Carabas. Impressionistic watercolors carry the sweep of the story's gestures and of the countryside over double pages, while trademark halfpages alter each separate scene. Understanding this tale depends on close attention to the relatedness of events, motives, and responses; here, there are visual gaps that do not fully account for the story's unfolding. This means that children looking at the book require either a prior knowledge of the story or someone to intervene. The intervenor must either have memorized the story, or interrupt it by flipping back and forth to the identifying lines of text placed at the front of the book. Vibrant pictures, but an awkward telling. --Karen Litton, London Public Libraries, Ontario, CanadaCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.