The Impudent Rooster - Hardcover

Rascol, Sabina

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525471790 ISBN 13: 9780525471790

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 2004

Synopsis

When he catches a greedy nobleman stealing his master's purse filled with money, the rooster begins to squawk to the world and, despite being hidden, stomped, and thrown in a well, is successful in getting the purse back to its rightful owner.

About this title

About the Author

Holly Berry is a printmaker and acclaimed illustrator of a number of picture books, including Colorful Dreamer, How Mama Brought the Spring (a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book) and The Impudent Rooster (a Society of Illustrators Original Art Silver Medalist). She received her BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and now lives in Waldoboro, Maine.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 4-This vibrantly illustrated adaptation of a traditional story describes how loyalty can triumph over adversity. A poor elderly man has only his beloved rooster for company. One day, however, he speaks harshly to him, and the bird leaves "not knowing or caring where he went." He finds a small purse of coins but a greedy nobleman steals it. The rooster runs after the rich man, who tries to drown, burn, starve, and trample the rooster, but the fowl keeps finding a way out of each situation, growing larger as he swallows his enemy's treasure and cattle. The rooster finally regains the coin purse. He returns to the old man, who greets him with joy, and the two live richly, and happily ever after. The fast-paced action and a repeated refrain ("Cucurigu, my great lord!/Give back the pennies you stole") will grab readers' attention. The language flows smoothly and reads aloud well. The large folk-art paintings, done in watercolors and colored pencils, depict brightly clothed characters, detailed backdrops, and a hero who grows in stature along with his deeds.-Janet M. Bair, Trumbull Library, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PreS-Gr. 2. Adapting her tale from a Romanian story by Ion Creanga, Rascol tells about a small, brave rooster, driven from the farmyard, who grows powerful as he defeats an evil nobleman and brings riches back home to the poor farmer. The greedy nobleman tries everything to get rid of the pesky upstart. He throws the rooster down a well, but the rooster drinks all the water and flies out. He tosses the bird in a fiery oven, but the rooster spews out all the water he drank and puts out the flames. The rooster swallows coins, and he swallows the barnyard animals. Finally, he brings everything home to make the poor farmer rich. The standoffs, chases, and the refrain ("What could the rooster do?") are great for storytellers, and the clear, dramatic, very bright pictures in folk-art style, showing the small creature swelling up until he fills the double-page spread, can be used with a small group. Children will appreciate the farmyard farce about the small, noisy creature who refuses to be intimidated in a giant world. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0525471790
• ISBN 13: 9780525471790
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Berry Holly
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32