Tailypo! - Hardcover

Wahl, Jan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805006877 ISBN 13: 9780805006872

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 1991

Synopsis

A retelling of an African-American folk tale about an old man who cuts a creature's tail off and is haunted by the creature, who wants his "tailypo" back

About this title

Reviews

Grade 2-4-- When a creature invades his cabin, an old black man takes a hatchet and whacks off its tail, thus causing his own demise. Clay's pictures are done in acrylic shades that shift from warm fire-tones like orange and pink to cold, crisp blues and purples. They create a scary and highly graphic accompaniment to this succinctly retold African-American tale. In Joanna Galdone's The Tailypo (Houghton, 1984), Paul Galdone's illustrations are tame and cartoon-comical compared to this realistic, almost gory version. Blood splatters out when the tail is cut off; a frightened owl in a wall clock peeks with one eye as the varmint overcomes the man. Another peculiar, almost macabre touch is a photograph of a woman on the wall that changes expressions and poses throughout the story. Galdone's illustrations leave much to readers' imaginations, while Clay interprets the action literally and skillfully. Wahl's narration is shorter and less lyrical in description than in the earlier version; gone is Galdone's eerie tone and prose through which the suspense is allowed to mount. Because of Clay's illustrations, this new offering is not for the squeamish. --Marianne Pilla, formerly at Upper Dublin Public Library, Dresher, PA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

An old man is visited in his lonely cabin by "a Creature with a great , big , long tail." He lops the tail off, cooks it up and gobbles it down--thus earning several nocturnal visits from the Creature, who demands the return of his "tailypo" and finally achieves it by ingesting the old man. Wahl's ( Humphrey's Bear ) lively but vividly gruesome African-American tale is best suited to children at the upper end of the suggested range and to those who can tolerate a scary story. It uses onomatopoeia and repetitions effectively to build tension, and would be especially shivery if read aloud. Clay, making his children's book debut, adds acrylics that are evocative of setting and mood and in some cases quite gory in their own right. Occasionally, however, a predominance of neon pinks and oranges results in a garish rather than supernatural effect. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In his first picture book, Clay provides dramatic double- spread paintings for Wahl's lively retelling of this scariest of African-American tales. Each detail of the Tennessee cabin where the unfortunate who makes the error of eating the tail of a mysterious invader awaits his grisly fate is carefully rendered, bathed in the open fire's crimson glow, while a woman's portrait observes with a curious ``I-told-you-so'' look and the owl on the clock recoils in dismay. The thing itself remains indistinct, just the occasional ear or claws glimpsed--the better to terrify by innuendo. Galdone's version (1977) is a standard; this fine debut makes an excellent alternate. (Folklore/Picture book. 5-10) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0805006877
• ISBN 13: 9780805006872
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32