Details
Synopsis
A traditional Mayan tale which reveals how the cuckoo lost her beautiful feathers.
| Size | | Height: | 12.8 in | | Width: | 11.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.2 in | | Weight: | 18.4 oz |
Industry Reviews
A Mexican folktale about the evolution of a beautiful but vain bird inspires the bold and brilliant cut-paper designs in Ehlert's latest picture book. Gloriously plumed Cuckoo spends her time flitting about and showing off her gorgeous feathers instead of gathering seeds with all the other birds. But in the face of a natural disaster, Cuckoo unselfishly performs a "hot and scary job" that saves the season's seeds but changes her appearance forever. As in her Moon Rope/ Un lazo a la luna, Ehlert's easy-to-follow retelling appears simultaneously in Spanish and English on every spread. The bilingual approach to the text, combined with the influence of Mexican arts and crafts on the vibrantly styled artwork, helps bathe the proceedings in atmosphere. Ehlert assembles many of her simple shapes with brass pin-joints, giving the paper creatures a potential for movement that children will enjoy exploring. Other metallic-paper figures suggest Mexican hammered-tin ornaments. Sombreros off to this innovative artist for yet another eye-catching work. Ages 3-8. (Apr.)
Lopate
PreS-Gr 4 Cuckoo is beautiful and lazy. She also sings compulsively, irritating the other birds who want to sleep before beginning the arduous task of gathering seeds. They are so exhausted from the continual singing, in fact, that when a fire threatens the seed crop, they all sleep on. The only one awake is Cuckoo, who flies back and forth until all the seeds are safe. In the process, her rainbow plumage is scorched and her beautiful voice turns hoarse but she earns the undying gratitude of the other birds. This tale, charmingly told in both English and Spanish, is boldly illustrated with large, brightly colored, cut-paper pictures. Inspired by folk art and crafts, the images evoke the tin work and cutout fiesta banners of Mexico. Apparently secured by paper fasteners, Cuckoo and some of the other birds look like jointed toys. A perfect companion to Ehlert's Moon Rope (Harcourt, 1992), this book provides a fine introduction to the pourquoi story form and to literature in Spanish. Given the amount of dialogue in the narrative, the story would adapt easily to readers' theater; as well, it is perfectly suited for use in ESL programs. Another sure winner from Ehlert. Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA
Lopate
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
All rights reserved.
