Book Reviews of Fracture-Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

DUST DEVIL

Isaacs, Anne. (2010). DUST DEVIL. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 9780375867224

PLOT SUMMARY

Angelica Longrider also known as Swamp Angel outgrew Tennessee and moved west to Montana. She helped change the landscape. Since there weren’t any woods for shade, Angel took pieces of the Rocky Mountains and formed Buttes to the West for shade. She found a horse big enough to ride in the dust storms of Montana. Along with other settlers establishing themselves in Montana came bandits who rode giant mosquitos and terrorized and stole people’s money. Backward Bart, the lead bandit, had a special language, he said and did everything backward. Angel wanted to become deputized to go after the bandits and jail them. Women at the time were not allowed to be deputized, but she found a loophole, she would capture the mosquitoes they rode. Would Angel be clever enough to capture the bandits? It turns out she was. The biscuits her aunt gave her came in handy when she confronted the gang. She threw them at the bandits who happily ate them up, unfortunately, their teeth began to fall, forming the Sawtooth Range. Angel leads them to Billings and straight into the jail. The mosquitos they rode didn’t have direction without they masters and fell drill end first into the ground which gave rise to geysers of Montana.

CRITICAL REVIEW

This folktale does a great job explaining how Montana’s landscape came about. I like how it explained the dust storm and gave it animal-like characteristics. It exaggerates the lead character much the same manner as Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, and John Henry, characterizing Angel with giant-like features. Isaacs portrays a strong single unwed female lead who is able to create not only her living environment to her liking but also her neighbors. It almost seems Angel is out of place in the 1830s-time period when women were considered men’s property and weren’t allowed to do any transactions without a man. Isaacs got the law reference right. Women didn’t have the right to lead men; henceforth, she was not permitted to be a deputy. Isaac demonstrates Angel’s cleverness to find ways around rules and laws, selflessly meeting the needs of the community.

Zelinsky does a great job at capturing Montana’s geography in his illustrations. The miniature cows give the reader an idea of just how huge Angel was and how much territory Montana covered. Although exaggerated, Zelinsky gives the reader a sense of just how bad dust storms were in the 1830s and how helpless the residents were against them. Soft colors were chosen for this book and the character’s shading captures their 3-dimensional realistic features. The wardrobe chosen for Angel features her in a dress and barefoot, contrasting well-dressed 3-piece suited and booted up men. Zelinsky features Angel mounting her steed a man would with legs at either side, whereas at the time women were only allowed to ride horses with both feet hanging at one side, therefore the reader must conclude that Angel was single because she was too independent, carrying on with chores and task a man of the 1830s would take. Zelinsky humorously illustrated the antagonists, Backwards Bob and his gang, showing how happy Bob was even when he fell into the pig’s trough. The bandits don’t look as evil or scary as their flying mosquito counterparts. The mosquitos give the reader the sense of just how fast and greedy the bandits were.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

*Starred Review* Children who know Angelica Longrider, the wildest wildcat in Tennessee in the Caldecott Honor Book Swamp Angel (1994), will cheer her return in this sequel, which sends the barefoot, bear-wrestling giant to Montana. –Booklist

Readers will chuckle over the absurdity of the giant mosquitoes ridden by nasty Bart and his gang and learn the origins of buttes, geysers, the Grand Canyon, and even the California gold rush. A stunning tour de force and a satisfying continuation of Angel's saga. – School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS

Other tall tales that deal with the frontier include:

Kellog, Steven (1987). PAUL BUNYAN, A TALL TALE. ISBN 0606024891

Kellog, Steven (1986). PECOS BILL: A TALL TALE. ISBN 9780688058715

Nolen, Jerdine, (2003). THUNDER ROSE. ISBN 152164723

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THE THREE NINJA PIGS

Schwartz, Corey R. (2012). THE THREE NINJA PIGS. Ill. Dan Santat. New York: Penguin Publishing eISBN 978-1-1-101—9962807

PLOT AND SUMMARY

The Three Ninja Pigs follows closely the plot of the class tale. In this setting; however, the three pigs go to Dojos to learn different martial arts in hopes of getting the Wolf off their backs. The first pig drops out without even learning a whole lot of moves. The second pigs stayed in school a little longer and perfected his deadly “pork chop” before dropping out. The last pig is a female. Who studies and achieves master level. The wolf blows and beats through pig one and pig two’s houses quickly, chasing them straight to pig three’s home. She shows off some of her moves and Wolf runs away. The other two pigs decide to go back to school to master the martial arts and Wolf never bothers them again.

CRITICAL REVIEW

I am glad that pig three is a strong female lead and the heroine of the story. This book gives girls a window into what it is like to be persistent and successful, inspiring them to work hard toward a goal. Pig one and two fall in line with the original stories, being lazy at school, thinking they know it all and dropping out. Perhaps this metaphor will get kids to think that leaving school unfinished is not a good idea and will consider obtaining their high school degree at a young age. Schwartz masterfully incorporated details of what I can only assume life as a ninja might be. He did not shy away from using terms such as sensei, gi, dojo, sayonara, -san. All terms that would be typical in Japan. Rhyme and meter were on point. Schwarts masterfully switched up couplets and quatrain stanzas as he moved the story along. All in all, this a great variation of the classic.

Dan Santant’s illustration give is the sense of being in Japan. Schwartz digresses when one pig studies Jijitsu, a Brazilian martial art. Nevertheless, the drawings are successfully drawn in Magna style, making believable the action happening, during the training, the breaking down of the pig’s home, and when the heroine scares off Wolf with her skilled moves. Santant successfully captures the facial expression of the pigs getting beat up by the wolf as well as the determined, brave pig three who was very sure in her abilities that she was able to stand up for her family. Overall, the drawings complement the text well.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

For young martial arts fans seeking a lighthearted book about their hobby, Schwartz's (Hop! Plop!) story should fit the bill. While the idea of three gi-clad pigs fighting the big bad wolf is a winner, the subtle-as-a-karate-chop moral about not quitting puts a bit of a damper on the fun. –Publishers Weekly

Schwartz's clever rhyming text flows nicely, and illustrator Santat (who holds a black belt in Shotokan) really gets into things. Executed in Sumi brushwork on rice paper (and completed in Adobe Photoshop), the pictures have a three-dimensional feel that's great when kicks and chops are being executed. Sayonara, Mr. Wolf. –Booklist

The pigs are full of motion and emotion as they train and battle with the wolf. Youngsters with an interest in martial arts and those seeking strong female characters will relish this picture book. –School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS

Other variants of the Three Little Pigs include:

Gunderson, Jessica. (2016). NO LIE, PIGS (AND THEIR HOUSES) CAN FLY! (THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY). ISBN 9781479586219

Sciezka, Jon. (1989). THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS! ISBN 0670827592

Trivizas, Eugene. (1993). THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG. ISBN 0689505698

Wiesner, David. (2001). THE THREE PIGS (Caldecott Honor Book). ISBN 9780618007011

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LITTLE RED HOT

Kimmel, Eric A. (2013). LITTLE RED HOT. Ill. Laura Huliska-Beith. Las Vegas, NV: Amazon Publishing. ISBN 9781477816387

PLOT AND SUMMARY

Eric’s spin on Little Red Riding Hood makes an accidental heroine out of her. In this Texas tale, Little Red Hot is not defenseless at all, she is a spicy little cowgirl that can put down some warning labeled chili peppers. In this variation, it is Little Red’s idea to make grandma a pie that would “knock those germs right out of her.” As she goes through rolling hills she meets Señor Lobo, who finds out where she was heading and beats her to grandma’s house. Grandma takes a look at him and jumps out the window seeking the help of Pecos Bill and his deputies. Meanwhile, Little Red Hot arrives and asks Señor Lobo the classic questions of his physical features. In an effort to help her sick grandmother, she sticks a slice of pie right into his mouth. The pie is so hot, he shoots out the ceiling like a rocket. Just then Pecos Bill arrives to see Señor Lobo flying into space. Grandma and Little Red Hot invite Bill and the deputies to have some pie with them, but they graciously decline. Grandma and Little Red Hot eat the pie all by themselves, killing the germs in the process.

CRITICAL REVIEW

Eric makes the female lead strong and brave. She accidentally sends the wolf away, but Eric makes sure he doesn’t diminish her ability to eat chili peppers. He makes the Pecos Bill a cautious man who knows when something will make him suffer. The idea that kids shouldn’t talk to strangers is still in place. The gruesomeness of the Grimm brother’s original tale is absent, no one gets killed or sliced open, they just exit the scene suffering their consequence for trying to take advantage of others. The text is definitely one teachers could read to their K-2 students.

The illustrations effectively capture the essence of a little girl. They are drawn in 2-dimensional format giving it a feel of a “Little Golden Books.” The images vary from close-ups to middle shots, to landscape shots, and areal views that are placed appropriately throughout the book. Laura kept true to TX Hill country’s combination of rolling hills, boreal forest, prairies, and deserts. She effectively captured expressions of deceit, determination, and accomplishments in her soft pallet hued paintings.

REVIEW EXCERPT

Veteran folklorist Kimmel makes this story his own the cadence and the imagery would be just right for storytelling even without the pictures. But the illustrations gouache, acrylic, and colored pencil paintings combined and collaged digitally are full of action and add to the high-octane fun. –Booklist

CONNECTIONS

More classic tales retold as Westerns include:

Isaacs, Anne. (2014). MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH. ISBN 9780375867453

Ketteman, Helen. (2007). WAYNETTA AND THE CORNSTALK: A TEXAS FAIRY TALE. ISBN 780807586877

Langdo, Bryan. (2011). TORNADO SLIM AND THE MAGIC COWBOY HAT. ISBN 9780761459620

Lowell, Susan. (2000). CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERELLA. ISBN 0060274468

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BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD

Bryan, Ashley (2003). BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689847319

In this adaptation from a Zambian folktale, Ashely tells how the birds became two-toned. Originally, all the birds were a single color, so when they see Blackbird’s reflection standing out in the water they group thought that Blackbird was the most beautiful bird. The other birds wanted to be like Blackbird and asked if Blackbird could paint them black. Blackbird hesitates but then agrees and makes a black paint concoction in a large gourd. He painted all the birds with different black patterns until the paint ran out. The birds were grateful for their “brand-new look,” and have a thankful chant, “Black is beautiful, UH-HUH!”

CRITICAL REVIEW

This tale promotes black to be beautiful and adding it on, would give anyone the ability to dance in style and become beautiful. Ashley’s work does well to let people know the black is a beautiful color, in a time when many children would like to change their darker skin, for paler skin tones, this story reassures those readers that their color is a beautiful one.

The collage of the birds throughout the book gives the tone of very simple and bland characters in the story. The artwork is not very vibrant, which would make sense at the beginning of the story, but at the end of the story the illustration even though black has been added to all birds, visually it is not aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps it would have been better if the cutouts would appear closer to 3-D imaging or if there were more texture.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Coretta Scott King Award-winner Ashley Bryan's adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia resonates both with rhythm and the tale's universal meanings -- appreciating one's heritage and discovering the beauty within. His cut-paper artwork is a joy. -Amazon

Storyteller Bryan's (What a Wonderful World) singular voice provides rhythm and sound effects throughout this musical adaptation of a Zambian tale. –Publisher’s Weekly

Using a more vivid palette than usual, Bryan employs boldly colored, cut-paper artwork to dramatize the action. The overlapping collage images fill the pages with energy as the songlike responses of the birds tap out a rhythm punctuated with "uh-huhs." –Booklist

The storyline is simple and the rhythmic chants of the flock frequently interspersed throughout the text add drama and a rapper's cadence. The cut-paper silhouettes are colorful but static, effectuating a stylized formality. –School Library Journal

CONNECTION

Other fractured-tales in an African setting include:

Isadora, Rachel. (2007). THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES. ISBN 0399247440

Isadora, Rachel. (2008). RAPUNZEL. ISBN 9780399247729

Pizzoli, Tamara. (2014). THE GHANAIAN GOLDILOCKS. ISBN 0996001603

Smith, Alex T. (2016). LITTLE RED AND THE VERY HUNGRY LION. ISBN 978-1407143897