Topsy Turvy - Hardcover

Beisner, Monika

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374376794 ISBN 13: 9780374376796

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1988

Verses are accompanied by illustrations of unusual situations such as a dog taking a little girl for a walk, a bird scolding a cat for scaring his friends, and a boy sitting calmly while a sheep shears his head

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-5 The first in this collection of rhymes adapted from the German invites readers to ``Be all eyes, show no surprise,/ And wonders will unfold.'' Indeed, that is so in this elegantly-designed, imaginatively-stimulating picture book reminiscent of a 19th-Century miniaturist's style. The illustrations are contained in various shapes on uncluttered ecru pages with decorative headers and page numbers surrounded by green leaves. All pictures are rich in detail and in color saturation, but they range from very obvious child-like reversals (baby rocking mother in the cradle or a sheep shearing the shepherd) to more subtle visual challenges (one has to look closely to see who is leashed in the picture of girl and dog). Children will enjoy determining what is topsy-turvey in the illustrations, but in many instances the often-strained verses add little to the pleasure. Sometimes the text does give additional information or change the ``reading'' of the illustration. The dust cover is deceiving, leading viewers to believe that this is one of the topsy-turvey books which contains two pictures in one (one right-side-up and one upside-down) rather than a single incongruous situation. This book is fascinating for adult book collectors or older children, but for a more child-like view of an upside-down world, turn to Marcia Sewall's The World Turned Upside Down (Atlantic Monthly, 1986). Kay E. Vandergrift, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Like the works of Mitsumasa Anno, this intriguing picture book asks children to think in diverse ways. "Be all eyes, show no surprise, / And wonders will unfold," invites the author. The 22 crisply written rhymes consider "The World of Upside Down." A dog takes a little girl for a walk on a leash, bored sheep and clouds exchange places, a child sits on a wooden doll's lap and kites watch people fly. A girl in a circus, "like a shimmering butterfly in her attire . . . leaps and sails through the hoop of fire," held by a lion. The gold-bordered illustrations, like medieval paintings on a white museum wall, are a dazzling blend of images: surreal landscapes, finely etched animals and children with Rossetti-like hair and pensive faces. And the intriguing narrative is as richly textured as the illustrations. All ages.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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