Lorinda Bryan Cauley

Author/illustrator Lorinda Bryan Cauley turns her attention to the traditional English fairy-tale of Jack and the Beanstalk in this retelling, and the result is a lovely picture book version of the classic story. The narrative here is faithful to the original, with young Jack selling his mother's cow for some magic beans, and ascending the beanstalk that grows from those beans into a land of giants in the sky. Here he successfully steals from a terrible man-eating giant three times—first a bag of gold, then a hen which lays golden eggs, and finally a magical harp—before defeating his enemy for good by chopping down the beanstalk, while the giant is descending in pursuit...

Published in 1983, Jack and the Beanstalk is the fourth book I have read from Cauley, following upon her The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, The Cock, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She seems to have created quite a few folk and fairy-tale retellings, which is my primary interest in her work, although her body of picture books includes a number of more contemporary titles as well. In any case, I found this one quite engaging, enjoying both the story (despite finding Jack a bit of a scoundrel, as always) and the accompanying illustrations. The paintings here are done in oil, and are quite lovely. Recommended to young folk and fairy-tale lovers, and to anyone seeking good picture book presentations of this story.… (lisätietoja)

American author/illustrator Lorinda Bryan Cauley retells the classic English fairytale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in this charming picture book from 1981. As Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear go on a walk while their porridge cools, an inquisitive little girl with golden curls and a talent for trouble happens upon their house in the woods and helps herself to their meal, their chairs and even their beds...

Goldilocks and the Three Bears is the third book I have read from Cauley, following upon her The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse and The Cock, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen, and I think it is my favorite of the three. The narrative here is faithful to the traditional tale, and therefore holds no surprises. That said, it reads well and is engaging, and when paired with the expressive artwork, is a pleasure to peruse. I really enjoyed the visuals here, with the decorative borders around each page or two-page spread, the charmingly anthropomorphic ursine family, and Goldilocks herself, whose many expressions are vividly captured by Cauley. Although not the best retelling of this tale I have ever encountered—an honor belonging to the version created by Jim Aylesworth and Barbara McClintock—it is nevertheless very appealing. Recommended to young fairytale fans, and to anyone looking for an entertaining, well-illustrated presentation of this specific story.… (lisätietoja)

While the eponymous cock (AKA rooster), mouse and hen argue about who will do the chores and make the breakfast—much as in the famous fable of The Little Red Hen—a dastardly fox plots to kidnap them and turn them into dinner for his hungry kits in this retelling of an English folktale. Fortunately, the cleve red hen knows what to do, when she and her housemates are put into a sack. Taking advantage of the napping fox, she has each of her companions cut their way out, and replace themselves with a stone of their size, fooling the fox and making good their escape. Having saved them all, the hen is rewarded by her companions' new willingness to help out around the house...

Although well familiar with the American fable of The Little Red Hen, which was first recorded by Mary Mapes Dodge in 1874, in the pages of St. Nicholas Magazine, I was not aware of the story of The Cock , the Mouse and the Little Red Hen, which I think must surely be a variation of it, or at least related to it in some way. The earlier part of the tale here is very similar to that in The Little Red Hen, with the episode with the fox added in. This particular formulation of the tale apparently first appeared in 1907, in Félicité Lefèvre's illustrated book of the same name. Leaving all of that aside, I found this a fun little tale, appreciating the hen's industry and cleverness. As a fox lover, my heart ached for the hungry little kits, but of course, I was still rooting for the kidnapped friends to escape. The accompanying artwork from author/illustrator Lorinda Bryan Cauley was lovely, and greatly enhanced my reading pleasure. Recommended to all young folklore enthusiasts.… (lisätietoja)