From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?An Appalachian variant of the Grimms' "The Bremen Town Musicians." A grandmother takes her grandchildren on a mountain picnic and tells them the tale of a boy named Jack adopted five elderly creatures that helped him outwit some robbers and gain a fortune. Davis uses simple language, actions, and sounds to create images of each animal. Harvill's watercolor illustrations feature pastoral landscapes and warm colors, as well as closeups, exaggerated features, and skewed angles. The last picture helps provide closure, as it shows Grandmother finishing her story with the shadows of Jack and his friends parading off the side of the page in the background. The reteller includes a source note and encourages children to retell the story in their own way. This book serves a younger audience than Richard Chase's Jack Tales (Houghton, 1943).?Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, LaramieCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Ages 3^-7. In this Appalachian version of "The Bremen Town Musicians," Jack stops his search for a fortune after hearing a cow's "Moo-hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo." When the sad cow explains that she is too old to have milk, Jack suggests that she accompany him. As his journey progresses, he encounters other weeping animals, and when the new friends work together to defeat a group of robbers, their fortune is made. Children will delight in the way Davis uses animal and crying sounds in the story. A few double-page spreads composed of different scenes may be confusing, but kids will like the riotous paintings, especially those depicting what the robbers think they see. Harvill avoids anthropomorphizing, yet still manages to give her animals lively personalities; her human characters are less successfully captured. Source notes are included, along with Davis' suggestion that the story be told using one's own words to "help keep the oral tradition alive." Susan Dove Lempke
Card catalog description
An Appalachian version of the traditional tale in which a boy and five elderly animals find their fortune in a robbers' den.
Jack and the Animals: An Appalachian Folktale ANNOTATION
An Appalachian version of the traditional tale in which a boy and five elderly animals find their fortune in a robbers' den.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature
A combination of Jack and the Beanstalk and The Brementown Musicians would be one way to describe this Appalachian folktale. Full color, two-page spreads of watercolor illustrations convey the frustration levels of a cow, a dog, a cat, a donkey, a rooster and Jack, as they all feel unproductive and decide they are no longer useful to anyone. Jack is on his way to seek his fortune and invites each creature to join him. At the end of the day Jack comes across a house with a veritable banquet spread on the table, piles of gold, sacks of money and bags of jewels. Finding no one to stop them, Jack and the animals decide to finish the meal, as he believes it is a hideout of thieves—and they are so hungry. Once they finish eating, footsteps are heard on the porch and Jack tells the animals to hide, assuming it is the robbers coming back. A fracas erupts when the robbers sense things are amiss and are surprised by each of the animals in turn. The illustrations may be disturbing to younger readers, such as the snarling grimace and exposed sharp teeth of the dog and the distorted appearance of the cow and rooster as envisioned by the robber. Eventually, Jack discovers his fortune and it is assumed he and the animals live comfortably even to this day. Following the text is an explanation of the author's familiarity with this tale; he relates other cultures that have similar versions of Jack and his adventures with animals. In my opinion, this is the most entertaining aspect of the book. 2001 (orig. 1995), August House Little Folk, $15.95 and $6.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Elizabeth Young
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2-An Appalachian variant of the Grimms' ``The Bremen Town Musicians.'' A grandmother takes her grandchildren on a mountain picnic and tells them the tale of a boy named Jack adopted five elderly creatures that helped him outwit some robbers and gain a fortune. Davis uses simple language, actions, and sounds to create images of each animal. Harvill's watercolor illustrations feature pastoral landscapes and warm colors, as well as closeups, exaggerated features, and skewed angles. The last picture helps provide closure, as it shows Grandmother finishing her story with the shadows of Jack and his friends parading off the side of the page in the background. The reteller includes a source note and encourages children to retell the story in their own way. This book serves a younger audience than Richard Chase's Jack Tales (Houghton, 1943).-Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie
BookList - Susan Dove Lempke
In this Appalachian version of "The Bremen Town Musicians," Jack stops his search for a fortune after hearing a cow's "Moo-hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo." When the sad cow explains that she is too old to have milk, Jack suggests that she accompany him. As his journey progresses, he encounters other weeping animals, and when the new friends work together to defeat a group of robbers, their fortune is made. Children will delight in the way Davis uses animal and crying sounds in the story. A few double-page spreads composed of different scenes may be confusing, but kids will like the riotous paintings, especially those depicting what the robbers think they see. Harvill avoids anthropomorphizing, yet still manages to give her animals lively personalities; her human characters are less successfully captured. Source notes are included, along with Davis' suggestion that the story be told using one's own words to "help keep the oral tradition alive."
Art & Photography
Book Info
