Folklore

      Folklore have been passed down from one generation to another, and have been enjoyed by both young and adult readers alike. Some of the credit for the relevance and popularity of folklore, in my opinion, should be given to numerous authors and illustrators who have added their ideas and vision to make these stories appealing to present-day readers. Below are two books, which are based on classical tales but are presented in a new and engaging way to allure a new generation of readers.

   

In the hands of the father-daughter duo of Rebecca and Ed Emberley, the story of Chicken Little gets a new lease of life. We all know the story of the not-so-bright chicken who when hit with an acorn believes that the sky is falling. This incident makes him embark on a journey in which he convinces his other feathery friends, Lucky Ducky, Henny Penny, Loosey Goosy and Turkey Lurkey, about the calamity that is about to befall upon them. Their mad panic race leads them straight into the mouth of an opportunistic Foxy Loxy. The story ends with the fox sneezing out the birds when the feathers of the birds tickle his throat. Children while enjoying the wild goose chase of the birds, also learn that it is not wise to tell people things without first verifying its authenticity.

Author Rebecca Emberley and illustrator Ed Emberley use minimalistic words and colorful images to

retell this classic folktale. The silly sound effects and amusing collage-like illustrations are sure to engage young readers. The cut-paper, bright colored, wide-eyed animals against solid background are eye-catching. The funny names of the animals and the noises that the birds make, when they collide, are sure to leave the children in splits. I can see young children thoroughly enjoying this book and laughing at the madcap escapade of Chicken Little and his friends.

   

  Town Mouse, Country Mouse by author and illustrator Jan Brett is a newer version of the classic tale from Aesop’s Fable. In this portrayal, we are introduced to two mice couple who want to experience something different than what they are used to. The couple living in the town wants to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside, and the couple from the countryside wants to experience the luxurious life of the city, so they swap homes. However, very quickly both the couples realize that they are inept to survive the new environment that they have chosen for themselves. The unexpected challenges that they face contribute to some humor in the book. When the wife of the city mouse feels a raindrop on her head, she asks, “Is the bathtub leaking?” Her husband, on the other hand, puts on a “colorful and eye-catching” new jacket, not realizing that it will indeed catch the eye of a large owl whose clutches he narrowly escapes. In their new homes, both the couples long for their old and familiar surroundings. In the final pages of the book, we see the country mice couple being chased by the cat and the town mice couple chased by the owl, and both of the couples running for safety and reaching their respective homes. The book ends with the mice couple saying that “There’s no place like home;” and that is also the moral of the story.

The description of this book will be incomplete without talking about the visual treat it provides

through its illustrations. The double-page watercolor paintings, alternating between urban and rural settings are full of exquisite details. The realistic looking animals, intricate patterns on the clothes and china add to the beauty of this truly spectacular book. The border, an important aspect of Jan Brett’s illustration, is used not only enrich the story but also to give the readers a hint about what is about to happen in the next pages. The border around the pictures change from pine needles with fungus and pine cones to yarns with button corners, pencils, postage stamp, and feathers; all adding to the uniqueness of this book.

      Chicken Little, a Talking Animal Folktale, and Town Mouse, Country Mouse, a Fable, have more similarities than differences. In both the books the characters, who are animals, can talk, and are one dimensional and change very little during the course of the book. Chicken Little and his furry friends are silly, flat and they all act in predictable ways. Similarly, the mice couples are given human characteristics, but they do not grow as the story develops. In both the books, the plot line is simple and straightforward. Problems are introduced at the very onset of the stories and by the end of the book, they are satisfactorily resolved without much conflict.The difference lies in the fact that in the book Chicken Little the moral of the story is implied, whereas, in the Town Mouse, Country Mouse the moral of the story is clearly stated. The setting of the story in Chicken Little is vague, and as readers, we are not privy to that information other than the ideas that we get by looking at the illustrations. However, in Town Mouse, Country Mouse, we are more aware of the setting through text and illustrations.

Picture Storybooks

Picture storybooks seamlessly integrate text and illustrations to provide a complete reading experience to its readers. I have mentioned a few books that make use of art and words to tell a captivating story.
 

 In the picture storybook The Boy and the Whale, the author and illustrator Mordicai Gerstein gives us the story of Abelardo, a young boy with a big heart. At the beginning of the book, Abelardo and his father are distressed to see a whale entangled in their only fishing net. While the father is more concerned about the net, the boy is filled with empathy for the whale. He knows from personal experience how frightening it can be to be trapped underwater. His father discourages him from attempting to free the whale, but the boy can't stop thinking about the trapped animal and decides to cut the nets and save the whale on his own.

    With sheer determination and perseverance, he is able to set the giant whale free. When the whale bursts out of the water to express its happiness, I can visualize many children applauding to that. The story ends with the father expressing his pride at his son's heroic act, and we as readers are in awe of his bravery. I think that children will be fascinated and intrigued by this book and will be cheering for Abelardo’s success. They will also be inspired by the heroism and courage displayed by the boy.

    This picture storybook seamlessly integrates the illustrations and text to bring forth the story of a courageous young boy. The boy follows his heart and does what he thinks is the right thing to do, and that is the underlying message of the book. Many of the narrative elements that are essential for a picture storybook are present here. The setting of the story is implied through the text and is portrayed beautifully through the illustrations. Text and illustrations are used to depict the inner strength and compassion of the boy who put his life in jeopardy to save the whale. The beautiful watercolor illustrations reflect the boy’s emotions, his determination and finally his joy when he is able to free the whale. The conflict in the boy's mind, whether to listen to his father or listen to the voice in his heart, is clearly documented and supported by illustrations. The color blue is predominantly used to give the readers the feel of the ocean and a vertical spread is used to emphasize the whale’s size and to show the danger the boy's faces. The illustrations in each page corroborates the text and carry the story forward. This book, in my opinion, is both visually and morally appealing.

     The picture storybook Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari is the perfect book for all dog lovers. This is an incredibly sweet story about the bond of love and affection that exists between a young girl named Zara and her dog Moose. For Moose, Zara is her favorite person, and she wants to spend all her time with Zara. Moose loves the sound of the word “Hello,” but hates it when Zara says “Goodbye.” Throughout the book we see Moose equating all the things that she hates with the word goodbye. When Zara has to go to school, Moose finds different ways to be at her side. The school, unfortunately, does not allow dogs, so every time Moose finds a way in, she is forced out. Finally with “one great idea and a little bit of training,” they are able to be together. Moose is allowed into the school as a therapy dog for Zara, who is in a wheelchair. I personally feel that children will fall in love with this book, and they will want a dog just like Moose.

          The fusion of simple text and detailed illustrations in this picture storybook brings to life the beautiful friendship that exists between Zara and Moose. The text gives voice to the inner thoughts of Moose perfectly, because I think if dogs could talk, they would talk just like Moose.  Illustrator Patrice Barton’s attention to details is exquisite. Her digitally painted illustrations complement the text and enhance the characters that they portray. The joy on Moose’ face when she says “Hello” and the dejection when she has to say “goodbye,” are beautifully captured. There is a particular illustration in which Moose is behind a door, howling and the text reads, “Goodbye was being alone.” It is one of my favorite illustrations as it captures the loneliness Moose feels when Zara is not around. The combination of words and illustrations also contribute to lightheartedness in the book. The illustrations provide a visual representation to the emotions conveyed in the text. After reading this book, children will learn that every problem has a solution and if you really desire something, then there is no way anyone can stop you from achieving it. As they say, “Where there is a will there is a way.”

   The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes by Ying Chang Compestine offers a new twist to Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Emperor's New Clothes. In the hands of Compestine, the same tale gets transported to China, which according to her is where this story originated, and a smart young emperor becomes the central figure. Ming Da became emperor at the young age of nine, and his ministers, believing him to be lacking in experience, took silk, rice, gold, and gems from him. The emperor had thought of using his treasures to help the poor. The young emperor with the help of two faithful tailors decides to trick his ministers in returning everything that they had taken away. What ensues is a humorous way in which the crafty and smart boy emperor outwits his greedy minsters and makes them replace all the riches that they had stolen from him.

The text by Ying Chang Compestine and illustrations by David Roberts bring this picture storybook to life. It has the narrative elements required of the picture storybook. The text and the illustrations place the story in China. The intended audience of this book will undoubtedly identify themselves with the young emperor. From the very beginning we are invested in the emperor, and by the end of the book, we are awestruck by the ingenious mind of the boy and are rooting for his success. The sequence of events is presented in a straightforward manner making it easier for children to follow. The text and the illustration are both used to show how the young emperor solves his dilemma of getting back his treasures without causing any significant trouble. The underlying theme in this book is that we should never underestimate anyone, and should give respect to everyone regardless of their age. The words used in this book helps create a mood of lightheartedness which I am sure the children will enjoy. The illustrations done in watercolors, pen, and ink are playful, exquisite, and they bring the Chinese culture to life. The picture of the New Year's Day parade beautifully captures the Chinese festivities. The opening and closing endpapers done in shades of red showing patterned in dragon scales is also a nod to the Chinese culture. I am sure children will love the young emperor and will be inspired by his quick and sharp wit.

Home is where your Heart is.......

In the 1994 Caldecott Medal-winning book Grandfather’s Journey, author Allen Say talks about the “cross-cultural experience” of his family. This book beautifully captures the love and yearning that immigrants have for two countries that they call home. Allen Say’s Japanese grandfather visited America as a young man and fell in love with this country.  He explores this foreign land, meets with diverse people, and loses his heart to the “New World.” After his travels, he goes back to his village in Japan and gets married, but his heart yearns for America. So he decides to come back. Years pass by, and experiencing his daughter’s childhood reminds him of his childhood in Japan. He decides to return to Japan, and he remains there through very tough times. He always wanted to come back and visit America, but his wish remained unfulfilled. Decades later, like his grandfather, the author embarks on a journey to the American shores and decides to call it home. Like his grandfather, there are moments when he yearns for the country of his childhood, and so he visits Japan to “still the longing” in his heart.

  The author states that “when I am in one country, I am homesick for the other,” and I completely identify with the sentiment behind those lines. As an immigrant myself, I love and appreciate the country that I live in right now, but my heart also yearns for the country of my childhood. Just like the author, when the longing becomes too strong to ignore, I go back home and soothe my soul with the familiar sights and sounds of my childhood. I think that through this book the author also wants to convey the message that it is okay to love two countries equally without carrying the guilt of being disloyal. I think that the emotions expressed in the book are universal and the theme is thought-provoking. Through simple narrative sentences, the author is able to weave a beautiful tale about the immigrant experience and the ways that an immigrant tries to build a bridge between the two countries that he calls home.

Illustrations are an integral part of the fabric of this book. They give a visual representation of the sentences written on each page.The author himself does the illustrations in this book. The text in the book accompanies exquisitely composed watercolor paintings to convey Say's family history. The muted color tones used in the illustrations give the impression of a much-cherished and carefully preserved family album. All the illustrations have a snapshot kind of quality, there is no movement in the paintings, and they are like family portraits that we all have in our homes. The author makes use of representational art to depict realistic portrayal of characters and events. The subdued colors used in the portraits offer them with a sense of serenity. Our eyes are drawn towards the illustrations before the text, and that I think is intentional. The pictures extend the meaning of the subsequent text and add more understanding and depth to it. He also uses traditional clothing in the paintings to differentiate between the two countries and their culture.The illustrations are artistically excellent and compliment the text of the book.