The Fisherman and His Wife - Hardcover

Wells refashions the Brothers Grimm tale, retaining the moral but casting a sunny glow over the proceedings. Most of the action is familiar?a fisherman spares the life of a talking fish and has his wishes (and those of his increasingly dissatisfied wife) granted in return?but there are numerous fun embellishments. The setting is Norway and a pair of cats, Ragnar and Ulla, are the main characters. A peddler delivers the fruits of Ulla's wishes, everything from a larger kettle to the keys to a mansion ("Already paid for" is his refrain). When the fish turns down Ulla's grandest request?to be queen of Norway?the couple is not punished (as in Grimm), but learns a lesson about true contentment. Too, there's an upbeat ending, as the peddler makes a final visit bearing just the thing the couple does need?their very own kitten (which, neatly, has a few distinguishing characteristics in common with the talking fish). As always, Wells distills the essence of her story in precise, descriptive language: "They were happy with no more than the taste of homemade bread and the smell of the west wind." In debut artist Hubbard's gouache, watercolor and pencil illustrations, cozy touches abound, from the traditional Scandinavian-patterned wool socks and sweaters to the dried flowers hanging from cottage rafters. However, her color choices occasionally clash and her draftsmanship is uneven; the cover illustration, for example, is far bolder and more decisive than most of the art within. But it's still a pleasant outing, and certainly one of the livelier versions of this tale. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Just as James Marshall could make the oldest of the stories new again, Wells (Bunny Money, 1997, etc.) takes this well-worn nugget and makes it shine. The characters, Ragnar and his wife, Ulla, are cats who live on love and homemade bread in the fjords of Norway. After Ragnar hooks a magical fish, his first wish is for lobster, and they rain down on his boat. Ulla muses that a little larger cooking pot would be useful, and so a peddler delivers it, ``already paid for,'' and Ulla and Ragnar throw a party for their neighbors. Ulla speculates that a larger kitchen, in a larger house, is required for the cooking pot. And so their wishes mount, until Ulla decides that she needs to become the queen of Norway, a wish the fish can't grant. The two cats pay a visit to their old neighborhood to cheer themselves, and Ulla sees her mistakes; they move back to their cottage, where the peddler delivers a kitten (also already paid for). Wells not only opens up the story to a younger audience, but imbues it with gentler, more human motives: Ulla isn't the screeching, greedy shrew of other versions, but a kind cat who succumbs to discontentment. Hubbard's lovely artwork is evocative, with rich landscapes and costumes, and full of great gestures and expressions. Come story hour, listeners will be cheering. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.