Mister Whistler - Hardcover

Mahy, Margaret

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 187746791X ISBN 13: 9781877467912

Publisher: Gecko Press, 2013

Synopsis

A hilarious, lively picture book. Mister Whistler always has a song in his head and a dance in his legs. But when he has to catch the train, he is so distracted he loses his ticket―and has to dance his way out of his clothes to find it. The author, Margaret Mahy, received the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006.

About this title

About the Author

Margaret Mahy is one of the world's best and most famous children's authors. She was born in Whakatane in 1936, and wrote her first story at the age of seven. She won numerous awards for her work, including the prestigious international Hans Christian Anderson award in 2006. Margaret lived in Governor's Bay, New Zealand until her death in 2012.

Gavin Bishop is a leading New Zealand illustrator. He has received multiple awards and exhibited internationally.

Review

"This second posthumously published work by the late Mahy, after The Man from the Land of Fandango, is distinctive and full of sly humor. Mister Whistler loves to dance so much that when his Great-Aunt Lydia calls him for help washing her windows, he can barely tear himself away. He heads for the train station, puts his ticket between his teeth for safekeeping, checks for a clean handkerchief, then panics: 'No ticket!' Every pocket is empty (viewers can see the ticket clenched between his teeth the whole time), and he strips down to his polka-dotted boxers in a frenzy that's half ticket-hunt and half dance: 'Mister Whistler spun in wild circles, keeping time with the music in his head.' Entertained onlookers put money in his hat―which, it turns out, he needs to fund another ticket purchase. Bishop's ink-and-watercolor drawings perform as brilliantly as Mister Whistler himself, showing the action clearly and giving the lines and drape of Mister Whistler's generous tweed coat the grace of a dancing partner. This is the kind of picture book that families fall in love with."

--Publishers Weekly (Journal)

"Young movers and shakers will find a kindred spirit in Mister Whistler. He always has a song in his head, a dance coursing through his body, and a difficult time concentrating on anything else. A telephone call from Great-Aunt Lydia awakens him from a tangled-in-sheets, toe-tapping reverie; he dresses quickly in response to her request regarding window washing. Giggles will ensue when Whistler appears in long polka-dotted boxers and dons checkered pants, a striped shirt, a wildly patterned 'waistcoat,' and a long fur-trimmed coat before heading to the train station. Bishop's illustrations evoke an old-world feel, and his strong diagonal lines, busy patterns, and constantly changing positions create a convincing sense of energy as the protagonist jives to the flowing musical notes in every scene. Mistress of the appropriate rhythm for every narrative arc, Mahy picks up the pace as Whistler hustles to the station: 'Am I neatly dressed? Yes! Neat as a pin. Have I got my ticket? Yes! It's here in my hand. Do I have a nice clean freshly ironed handkerchief? Let me check.' She punctuates paragraphs with shorter phrases as he anxiously undresses (much to the amusement of the gathering passengers) to search for his ticket. Children will enjoy being in on its whereabouts and may guess at a solution the first–and second–time he needs one. Pair this with other favorite dance books, e.g., George Ancona's Let's Dance (HarperCollins, 1998), and then get up and boogie. The Locomotion, anyone?" ―School Library Journal

(Journal)

About this edition

• Publisher: Gecko Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 187746791X
• ISBN 13: 9781877467912
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Bishop Gavin