Details

Synopsis An illustrated retelling of the Czech opera in which a brother and sister find a way to outwit the bullying, bellowing, hurdy-gurdy grinder named Brundibar who will not let them earn money by singing in the town square., Two siblings must outwit a cruel bully named Brundibar who thwarts their efforts to raise the money they need to buy milk for their sick mother. The siblings are helped by three magical talking animals and three hundred school children. Will they be able to defeat Brundibar and help save the life of their mother? This picture book is based on the Czech opera, which was performed a number of times by the children held in the Terezin concentration camp during World War II. Breaking from his traditional watercolor-and-pencil style, Sendak created the illustrations for BRUNDIBAR with colored pencils, crayons, and brush pens. Selected by the New York Times Book Review as one of the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2003.
| Details | | Series: | NEW YORK TIMES BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOKS (AWARDS) | | Illustrator: | Maurice Sendak |
| Size | | Length: | 64 pages | | Height: | 11.0 in | | Width: | 9.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.5 in | | Weight: | 22.4 oz |
Industry Reviews "This brilliant and disturbing rendition of an old Czech opera honors history in a stunning piece of art....Sendak and Kushner complement each other perfectly as they merge merriness with tragedy and political commentary. A heartbreaking, hopeful masterpiece with powerful implications for contemporary readers." Kirkus Reviews (11/01/2003)
"Just when one might have thought that the most celebrated living picture-book artist could retire with his laurels, along comes Maurice Sendak's collaboration with Tony Krushner, BRUNDIBAR, a capering picture book crammed with melodramatic menace and comedy both low and grand." New York Times Book Review - Gregory Maguire (11/16/2003)
"Kushner's humor-touched text has a poetic lilt, and he's condensed the events effectively; the folkloric themes and the defeat of the obstructionist villain have an eternal appeal....This is nonetheless an unusual and resonant evocation of history that brings genuine poignancy to its operatic retrospection, and it would make a dramatic contribution to an exploration of Terezin and other concentration camps." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books - Deborah Stevenson (12/01/2003)
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