Return of the Shadows (A Laura Geringer Book)

Norma Farber

ISBN 10: 0060205199 / ISBN 13: 9780060205195

Published by Harpercollins, 1992

Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0060205199I5N10

Synopsis:

Mimi's shadow gathers together all the other shadows in the world, and they all run free, around the world, until they find that they miss their homes. By the late author of As I Was Crossing Boston Harbor.

From School Library Journal: PreSchool-Grade 2-- Shadows and their imagined relationships with their host shapes are the ingenious theme of this posthumously published fable from a prolific poet. The shadow of Mimi, a sleeping young girl, begins the revolt, hissing, ``Psst! Let's run free!'' As the others respond to liberation's call, confusion reigns; a rhinoceros's shadow leans against the Washington Monument, a palm tree's shadow keeps pace with a jogger. Farber's spare yet highly descriptive prose produces such vivid images of these innocent pranks that the accompanying illustrations would be redundant if not for Baruffi's carefully restrained humor in his interpretation of the fanciful tale. With architectural precision and subdued palette, he captures the capricious nature of the wayward forms, and readers can almost sense the inky silhouettes' delight in attaching themselves to incongruous objects. Equally amusing are the expressions on the unwary targets' faces and the sheer silliness of some of the combinations. The novelty of the unknown fades for the shadows, and after one long night, they seek the comfort of their origins. Younger children will be reassured by the subtle message that it is possible to stray or explore and return with no harm, and older children will enjoy the outrageous couplings. From Stevenson's classic My Shadow , illustrated by Ted Rand (Putnam, 1990), to Margaret Mahy's The Boy with Two Shadows (Lippincott, 1988), to James Barrie's Peter Pan , this subject holds a magical appeal for children. A welcome new slant on an intriguing phenomenon.
-: Dorothy F. Houlihan, formerly at White Plains Public Library, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Return of the Shadows (A Laura Geringer Book)
Publisher: Harpercollins
Publication Date: 1992
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Baruffi, Andrea
Condition: Fair
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket