Mice, Morals, & Monkey Business - Hardcover

Christopher Wormell is the celebrated English wood engraver whose illustrated books are collected and loved throughout the world. His first children's book, An Alphabet of Animals, won the prestigious Graphics Prize at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair and has been reprinted in numerous editions. His other children's book titles include Mowgli's Brothers, Blue Rabbit and Friends, Blue Rabbit and the Runaway Wheel, Animal Train, Off to the Fair, and George and the Dragon. Wormell lives in London with his wife and three children.

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 3–In this handsome companion book to Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles (Running Pr, 2004), Wormell uses linocut prints to illuminate 21 of Aesop's famous life lessons. The artist cleverly conveys the morals up front and, in doing so, also provides viewers with a powerful exercise in visual literacy. Each spread consists of the fable's title and the large-type moral on the left and a full-page illustration on the right. The bold, black lines of the expertly rendered images and colorful accents primarily in earth tones create instantly recognizable figures. The subtle use of light and shadow adds clarity, expression, and often drama without extraneous detail. The brilliance of the images lies in their simplicity. The selections include many of the best-known fables as well as a few that may be less familiar. A succinct retelling of each one appears at the back of the book, along with a smaller, but equally clear version of the print; no sources are cited for the retellings but the overriding spirit seems to be one of economy in thought and word. This mighty-fine offering invites cross-curricular usage but is first and foremost a title to be enjoyed for its sheer artistry.–Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.