The Velveteen Rabbit - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1592701280 ISBN 13: 9781592701285

Publisher: Enchanted Lion, 2012

Synopsis

A gentle retelling of The Velveteen Rabbit wherein the tender relationship between boy and rabbit shines through gorgeous, limpid illustrations.

The tender relationship between the boy and his stuffed rabbit shines through gorgeous, luminous illustrations, transporting adult readers into the world of childhood while giving children a picture of themselves.

In her retelling of The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, Komako Sakai's text flows beautifully with her evocative, color-saturated illustrations. Written in gentle tones, the text resonates with the tender relationship between the boy and his toy rabbit. And, as always, Sakai's sensitive illustrations succeed in an absolute sense in evoking the interior world of the child, with all of its playful energy and poignant solitude. Her depictions of child and rabbit are memorable and may well become part of our collective, cultural memory of Williams' original book. Sakai's text is simpler than Williams', allowing her illustrations to convey much that is left unsaid, making for a fine integrity between word and image.

About this title

About the Author

Komako Sakai was born in Hyogo, Japan. After graduating from Tokyo's National University of Fine Arts and Music, Sakai worked at a kimono textile design company. She is currently one of the most popular author-illustrators in Japan.

Reviews

PreS-K-Spare text and lovely artwork characterize this retelling of Margery William's classic tale, originally published in 1922. The major plot points are succinctly incorporated, as the rabbit learns about the possibility of becoming "REAL" ("a child's true friend"), steps into place as his owner's most-cherished plaything, is relegated to the rubbish heap after the boy's bout with illness, and is magically transformed into "Real to everyone" by the fairy of the nursery. While some original wording is maintained, descriptive passages have been distilled down to a few brief sentences and the dialogue incorporates accessible, modern-sounding phrases. Done primarily in muted tones of earthy brown, pastoral green, and dusky blue, the illustrations create an old-fashioned air with Edwardian-era clothing and details. The rabbit, at first pristine with bright blue ribbon and pink nose and gradually showing wear and tear, always looks stiff and toylike, remaining appropriately aloof until the fairy's kiss turns him into a creature that appears vibrantly alive. Most of the images focus tightly on the stuffed animal and boy, with adults depicted only partially or on the periphery, giving a distinctly childlike perspective to the visual storytelling. Soft edges and blended textures add to the magic and mystery. While this adaptation perhaps lacks the full punch of the original, the emotions ring true, making it an inviting rendition for the youngest listeners.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journalα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Enchanted Lion
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1592701280
• ISBN 13: 9781592701285
• Binding: Board book
• Number of pages: 40