Tarzan

A baby boy, left alone in the African jungle after the deaths of his parents, is adopted by an ape and raised to manhood without ever seeing another human being.

Grade 3-6 San Souci is to be admired for his many picture-book adaptations of folklore and legend; however, this retelling of Tarzan may be a misstep. Although it undoubtedly will reach commercial success, there are some serious questions about what has been done with this version. The fascinating wild-child aspect of the tale and the mystery and power of self-inflicted literacy are overwhelmed by the action-adventure moments. These scenes boil down to an awful lot of deaths in a few pages of text. "Mortal combat" and "the harsh justice of the jungle" are the operative terms. For adults who harbor nostalgia for the hokey Weissmuller-O'Sullivan films, reading aloud this version devoid of the humor, silliness, and twinge of romance found in the older celluloid version will be a rude awakening. No Cheetah, no UNGAWAH, no Jane here. But even purists and the not-so-squeamish may question this adaptation. In his excellent author's note, San Souci explains his childhood fondness for Tarzan and writes of Burroughs, "One of his greatest gifts is that of world-building: he details the histories, peoples, creatures, cities, languages, customs, artwork, games, and clothing of imaginary places so carefully that they ring true." This extreme condensation renders impossible any world-building or characterization. McCurdy's accomplished scratchboard and colored-pencil illustrations lend a Rockwell Kent-like, mythic quality to the work, but do little to fill in the blanks left by the severely abbreviated text. Sue Sherif, Fairbanks North Star Borough Public Library, AK
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Just in time for the release of Disney's animated feature Tarzan comes this sturdy picture-book introduction to the famous character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. San Souci (The Faithful Friend) skillfully condenses a complex work of fiction into its key components. He skims over the drama preceding Tarzan's birth to Lord and Lady Greystoke, victims of a shipboard mutiny, and quickly plunges readers into the eventful circumstances of Tarzan's adoption by a young female ape. This treatment emphasizes Tarzan's success in teaching himself to read, and his use of intelligence along with physical strength, a combination that results in his becoming king of the apes. San Souci's expert pacing and sense for the essential story line give his adaptation an air of completeness. An endnote addresses literary and philosophical underpinnings of the story as well as the author's use of the source material; it may well inspire kids to one day seek out Burroughs's works. In his trademark style, McCurdy's (Iron Horses, reviewed above) crisp, full-color scratchboard compositions feature lush foliage and menacing wild animalsAthey bring the African jungle to life. Ages 5-9. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.