John can do nothing well until a snail gives him one hundred stories to tell. But even they wear thin and he goes in search of the snail again
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Grade 2-4?A newly illustrated edition of Rockwell's tale (Macmillan, 1974; o.p.). John, who is good and kind but not particularly talented at any one thing, is pitied by the Story Snail, who gives him 100 wonderful stories. When the tales lose their novelty, the boy sets out in search of the snail. His ensuing adventures involve the Wild West Wind, a green elf, a mermaid, a dragon, and a magical password that opens the golden door to the snail's home. By the end of his search, John has gained a newfound confidence in himself and his ability to create his own stories. Smith's illustrations, rendered in oil pastels and colored pencil, are vivid and lovely, though stylistically more aloof and sophisticated than Rockwell's straightforward line drawings in the original. The new paintings emphasize the darker, psychological aspects of the tale. Details in the original version's pictures firmly root the tale within the European folkloric tradition: John, in costume and appearance, resembles a young H. C. Andersen and the golden door depicts scenes from several well-known tales ("Puss in Boots," "The Tortoise and the Hare"). This edition shows John as an individual with light brown skin, almond-shaped eyes, and broad lips, reminding readers of the universal nature of storytelling. Both illustrators offer valid, intriguing interpretations of the tale.?Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 2^-3. First published in 1974 with simple illustrations by the author, this story concerns John, whom other children deride because he can't do anything well. After a magical snail gives the lad 100 stories to tell, the other children come to hear the young storyteller until they tire of his 100 tales. He begins a long and difficult quest to find the magical snail, who then gives John the ability to make his own stories. Vividly colored with plenty of green, purple, and tawny orange, the New Wave artwork uses dynamic forms and symbolic elements to illustrate the story in a nontraditional way. Though the pictures are impressive, their very effectiveness as art could be a disadvantage in a beginning reader, where children need to concentrate on the text. For large collections. Carolyn Phelan
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