Synopsis
Luke and his cat, Rags, awaken one night to discover that his toy theater has grown to full size and that he must lead his band of soldier puppets against their evil adversary, Longnose.
Reviews
Grade 1-2?McClintock's gorgeously detailed illustrations provide an elaborate backdrop for this simple story in which a young boy falls asleep while playing with his new toy theater. With a "Ka boom!," Luke and his cat Raggs wake to find themselves center stage surrounded by now-gigantic toy soldiers who are under attack by the "infamous scalawag" Longnose. They implore the boy to be their general and he obliges. After some fancy swordplay on top of and behind the elaborate theatrical sets, Raggs comes to Luke's aid and helps him defeat the villain, who is taken away to jail, and the heroic pair head back to bed. The young boy's adventurous dream is played out on dramatic double-page spreads that have the look of antique prints, except perhaps for the colors, all of which are bold and true. While the premise is not particularly innovative or unusual, the artwork carries the day (or night) to create a satisfying fantasy for young fans of derring-do. Perfect for one-on-one sharing.?Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
While Luke is asleep, his toy soldiers and elegant cardboard theater blow up and become life-sized. He and his cat, Rags, find themselves in the middle of a battle between the soldiers (led by Captain Fearsome) and ``that infamous scalawag Longnose.'' Bombs come sailing over the backdrop as Longnose tries to take over the stage. The soldiers ask Luke to be their general, and he accepts. So begins a swashbuckling swordfight worthy of an Errol Flynn film. Luke and Rags triumph over the evil Longnose and, after saying goodnight to everyone in the theater (which is slowly starting to shrink back to it's normal size), they head for bed. Once again, McClintock (Animal Fables from Aesop, 1991) delivers an exquisitely illustrated book. The story is a classic adventure tale, but her drawings are so detailed and charming that she makes it seem new. The theater sets, which resemble 19th-century shadow boxes, are particularly well executed, but the small unframed images are also delightful. A superb and inventive book by a truly talented illustrator. (Fiction/Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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