Synopsis:
A sequel to Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One finds young Penelope and her niece creating another incredible tale in which the fearless heroine, Lady Penelope, nearly misses the birthday of her beloved Prince Augustus.
Reviews:
Kindergarten-Grade 2?Aunt Isabel is at it again. This time, the storytelling mouse and her niece Penelope tell a tale in tandem about Lady Nell, pitcher for the East Woods nutball team. Dressed in a fetching pink-and-white uniform, Lady Nell sets out to visit her true love, Prince Augustus, for his birthday. Along the way she encounters Cocky the roach and his gang, who are terrorizing the village. Using her nutball skills, she subdues the evil insects and saves the town. Refusing a cash reward, she balloons up and away to reach Augustus's castle in time for the party. Little Penelope and her aunt make a great team. The story-within-a-story technique is clever and appealing. Duke's charming watercolor illustrations in pastel shades neatly complement the fast-paced, well-written text. An ideal book for curriculum connections in language arts.?Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The second Aunt Isabel title (the first was Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One) continues to celebrate the joys of storytelling while providing a splendid showcase for the Duke's sunny, winningly detailed watercolors of anthropomorphized animal life. This time, Aunt Isabel, an Auntie Mame- like mouse, spins a yarn concerning a famous nutball player, Lady Nell, and her efforts to visit her boyfriend Prince Augustus on his birthday. Her over-energetic niece Penelope, however, offers near-constant interjections ("But-"), just as Aunt Isabel anticipates: "I'll start and you'll keep but-but-butting in. That way we'll make a lot of trouble for this story, and keep it full of surprises." Lady Nell, pictured here as a grown-up version of the baseball-uniform-wearing Penelope, ends up foiling a sandwich-shop robbery planned by a gang of cockroaches and being feted by a grateful village before finally arriving at Prince Augustus's castle in the nick of time. Duke expertly juggles the two levels of narrative, vividly capturing both the what-will-happen-next excitement of the interior story, as well as the fun of creating and listening to it. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From the creator of endearing guinea pigs comes the second sweet book about mice heroines and cockroach villains. Employing the same story-within-a-story format readers will recognize from Aunt Isabel Tells A Good One (1992), Aunt Isabel spins a naptime yarn for Penelope; every time Aunt Isabel seems ready to come to a close, Penelope says, ``BUT,'' thereby forcing the tale in a new direction. The fairy-tale takeoff stars Lady Nell, a penniless princess who tries to reach her prince's castle in time for his birthday, stopping only to thwart a band of marauding cockroaches. The technique of constant interruption on the part of Penelope may mimic child listeners, but is not as effective as the device used in the first book, which threaded whats, whens, and whys into an already well-told story. Jaunty watercolor illustrations are replete with detail, from the matchbox mouse furnishings and pierced ears to the hidden thieves. The chatty style is lighthearted and the plot full of good-humored twists and turns, even if the pace occasionally lags. Children will anticipate the satisfying outcome and surely applaud the mouse heroine who chews bubble gum and hurls a mean cherry drop. Mice and princesses are a tried-and-true winning combination, and readers of the first book as well as fans of Angelina Ballerina will not be disappointed. (Picture book. 4-7) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Ages 4^-7. Aunt Isabel mouse told a fine yarn last time (Aunt Isabel Told a Good One [1992]). She's also in great form here, with her spirited, argumentative niece Penelope providing lively vocal commentary that keeps Aunt Isabel on her toes and the story, about feisty Lady Nell, full of surprises. It's a good thing nutball season is over for Lady Nell the mouse because it's her true love's birthday. Unfortunately, she's been so busy she forgot about his party and his present. What is she to do? Aunt Isabel keeps her niece spellbound with Lady Nell's plight (Nell's heroic besting of the villainous cockroach gang is especially exciting), but not so enthralled that Penelope forgets to interrupt regularly, prompting Aunt Isabel to send the story off in a new dramatic or funny direction. The watercolors are lively and sweet (although the insect villains are a shade wicked), with plenty of hiding cockroaches to keep kids actively involved in the goings-on. Clever, funny, and inviting. Stephanie Zvirin
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