 First edition cover of Aesop's Fables | |
| Author | Aesop |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Jerry Pinkney |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, fable, picture book |
| Published | 2000 (SeaStar Books) |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 87 |
| ISBN | 9781587170003 |
| OCLC | 43798267 |
Aesop's Fables is a 2000 collection of 61 fables from the Aesop oeuvre, retold by Jerry Pinkney. It includes stories about wolves, foxes, lions, dogs, mice, and donkeys.
Rosemary Wells, reviewing Aesop's Fables wrote "Pinkney's Aesop is a visual treat. These are beautiful illustrations, combining pencil, colored pencil and watercolor with a light-as-air touch. .. The book is handsomely designed, in a large format, and fine paper sets off the illustrations to their best advantage." [1]
School Library Journal found it "reminiscent of early 20th-century Aesop collections for children.", using "elevated language and an extremely formal sentence structure.", that "becomes a bit of a stumbling block." and concluded "While the narrative style occasionally gets in the way of sharing aloud and its tone is sometimes at odds with the more relaxed tone of the art, this handsome title is still one of the best of the current crop." [2] The Horn Book Magazine called it "quintessential Aesop" and wrote "The text begs to be read aloud; .. The whole is an exemplary model of bookmaking-and one destined to become a favorite version of these tales." [2]
Publishers Weekly gave a starred review writing "Beautifully designed, this lush, oversize volume showcases Pinkney's (The Ugly Duckling) artistry in grand style."and concluded " If there's room on the shelf for only one picture book version of Aesop, this could be it." [3]
Aesop's Fables has also been reviewed by Booklist , [4] Library Media Connection magazine, [2] Library Talk, [5] Parenting , [6] and Kirkus Reviews . [7]
The Lion & the Mouse is a 2009 nearly wordless picture book illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. This book, published by Little, Brown and Company, tells Aesop's fable of The Lion and the Mouse. In the story, a mouse's life is a spared by a lion. Later, after the lion is trapped, the mouse is able to set the lion free. Adapting the fable, with the moral that the weak can help the strong, as a wordless picture book was seen as a successful way of overcoming the brief plot generally found in the source stories. While it was Pinkney's first wordless picture book, it was not the first time he had told the story, having previously included it in his Aesop's Fables, published in 2000. Pinkney, who had received five Caldecott Honors, became the first African American to win the Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in this book. His illustrations were generally praised for their realism and sense of place. The cover illustrations, featuring the title characters but no text, drew particular praise.
Drylongso is a 1992 children's book by Virginia Hamilton and illustrator Jerry Pinkney. It is about a farming family who is experiencing a drought and takes in a stranger.
The Little Match Girl is a 1999 adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Andersen story by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a girl who is a street vendor of artificial flowers and matches in a city during the early twentieth century and rather than returning home, as she hasn't made any sales, lights her matches to keep warm, sees wonderful visions, then dies and goes to heaven.
Journeys with Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet is a 1999 children's picture book by Barbara Diamond Goldin and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is based on the tradition that the biblical prophet Elijah can reappear to anyone anywhere at any time and is eight stories of people's encounters with him from ancient times to the modern day throughout the world.
The Ugly Duckling is a 1999 adaption of the classic Hans Christian Andersen story by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a cygnet born amongst ducklings that is bullied, runs away, and eventually grows into a beautiful swan.
The Nightingale is a 2002 adaptation of the classic 1843 Hans Christian Andersen story by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a king who forsakes a nightingale for a bejeweled mechanical bird, becomes gravely ill, and is then revived by the song of the nightingale.
Noah's Ark is a 2002 book by Jerry Pinkney. It is the biblical story of Noah's Ark, from construction of the vessel and gathering of the animals, to first harvest and the appearance of rainbows.
The Little Red Hen is a 2006 book by Jerry Pinkney of the classic folktale about a chicken and some animals that decline to assist her in the growing and harvesting of wheat which she then uses to bake bread. When the animals ask to have some, she refuses and instead eats the bread with her chicks.
The Grasshopper & the Ants, by Jerry Pinkney, is a 2015 adaptation of the classic Aesop fable where a grasshopper relaxes through Spring, Summer, and Autumn, while a colony of ants work at gathering food for the Winter, but although initially refusing the grasshopper's request for help, they relent and invite him in to share.
Flossie & the Fox is a 1986 picture book by Patricia C. McKissack about a girl, Flossie, who takes some eggs to a neighbor, meets a fox on the way and manages to outwit it. In 1991, a film adaptation of the book was made with the author narrating.
The Hired Hand: An African-American Folktale is a 1997 book by Robert D. San Souci and illustrator Jerry Pinkney based on an African American folktale about an itinerant worker who is able to rejuvenate and resurrect people.
Albidaro and the Mischievous Dream is a 2000 book by Julius Lester and illustrator Jerry Pinkney telling why teddy bears look as if they have a secret.
The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll is a 2007 picture book by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a girl, Nella, living during the Great Depression who amazingly receives a doll for Christmas, initially doesn't share with her sisters but then relents after discovering that it's not fun to play by herself.
The Tortoise & the Hare is a 2013 wordless picture book of Aesop's classic fable and is illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is about a tortoise and a hare that compete in a foot race with the tortoise surprisingly winning.
Puss in Boots is a 2012 picture book of the classic fairy tale by Jerry Pinkney. Based on Charles Perrault's version, it is about a cat that enables his owner to achieve fame and fortune.
The Christmas Boot is a 2016 picture book by Lisa Wheeler and illustrator Jerry Pinkney. It is about a woman, Hannah Greyweather, who finds a single black boot, that turns out to be owned by Santa.
Pete the Sheep is a 2004 picture book by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley. It is about a shearer, Shaun, and his sheep, Pete, who open a hairdressing salon for sheep.
Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl is a 2003 picture book by Virginia Hamilton and illustrated by James Ransome. It is a retelling by Hamilton, in the Gullah dialect, of the classic story of Bruh Rabbit outwitting Bruh Wolf.
Ducks Away! is a 2016 children's picture book written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek. Published by Scholastic Inc., It is about a mother duck and her five ducklings attempting to cross a bridge, one by one, and fall off the bridge into the river below. The duck becomes more and more agitated until she, with the last of her ducklings dropping into the water and their encouragement, decides to follow them.
Hunwick's Egg is a 2005 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Pamela Lofts. It is about a bilby who finds an egg and after taking care of it comes to realise that is actually a rock, but continues to look after it just the same.
An acclaimed illustrator has set himself an ambitious task: retelling and visually reinterpreting 60 of Aesop's traditional tales. And he has succeeded brilliantly .. This first-rate edition is as artful, witty, and wise as old Aesop himself, and it will also stand the test of time.
timelessness of the fables, combined with the beautiful illustrations
Whether Aesop is a complete stranger to them or an old friend, young readers will be enthralled by this eye-opening, and jaw-dropping, achievement.
