Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren. 2009. Disney. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It is when we are most lost that we sometimes find our truest friends. This is the story of Snow White.

Premise/plot: Cynthia Rylant beautifully retells the fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It feels silly--beyond silly--to summarize the plot of so familiar a tale. Snow White is forced to take flight after her wicked stepmother tries to have her killed. She finds refuge--even happiness--in the home of the seven dwarfs. She loves them; they love her. But when the magic mirror reveals Snow White is still alive, well, her life is in danger once more. Will the queen's jealousy ever end? Will Snow White get her happily ever ending?

 My thoughts: I LOVED this one. I loved the writing. Rylant did a beautiful job with the story.

But those with an evil heart seem to have a talent for destroying anything beautiful which is about to bloom. So it was that one day the Queen consulted the Magic Mirror, and Snow White's life was forever changed.

 The dwarfs went inside and found Snow White asleep. When she awoke, Snow White told them her story. By the end of the telling, they loved her. How could they not? The Dwarfs had not known gentleness and beauty for a very long time.

Many stories in life have a happy ending, and this is one of them.

I also loved the illustrations by Gustaf Tenggren. Tenggren worked at Disney from 1936 to 1939. The films he worked on include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Bambi. But he didn't just work at Disney. He illustrated a LOT of children's books. Books such as The Poky Little Puppy, The Shy Little Kitten, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Tawny, Scrawny Lion, Bedtime Stories, Farm Stories, and King Arthur and the Knights Around the Round Table. You can read more about his work here: http://www.gustaftenggren.com/tenggren/default.asp

I didn't grow up watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It wasn't released on VHS until I was in high school. (The Disney Wiki says October 1994. That sounds about right!) But I did grow up listening to the soundtrack on record. I do have favorites. I love and adore the Silly Song and the Dwarf's Washing Song. And then there's One Song.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You

A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You. Joan Walsh Anglund. 1958/2017. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: A friend is someone who likes you. It can be a boy... It can be a girl... or a cat... or a dog... or even a white mouse.

Premise/plot: A Friend is Someone who Likes You was originally published in 1958. It was recently republished in a teeny-tiny size. The theme is friendship. The opening pages keep it quite simple, but, as the book progresses so does its complexity.

My thoughts: I liked it. The illustrations are sweet. The theme is sweet as well. It doesn't say everything there is to say on the subject of friendship. But what it does say is true enough. I have never found a special friend in the wind, a tree, or a brook. But I can easily imagine Anne Shirley doing so! My friends were mainly BOOKS. This little book doesn't include books as potential friends. But I forgive it that slight sin!

Last sentence: But everyone...everyone in the whole world has at least one friend. Where did you find yours?

Two of my closest, dearest friends were "found" because of a mutual love of books. 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby See The Stars

Mr. Putter and Tabby See The Stars (#16) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2007. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, loved to sleep. They could sleep anywhere. They slept in chairs, in swings, in cars, in tubs, and sometimes in the laundry room. Mr. Putter and Tabby also slept in a bed. Of course, most of the time, sleeping in a bed was just fine. Mr. Putter plumped his pillows. Tabby squished hers. And then they slept like logs. But one night, one of the logs could not sleep.

Premise/plot: Mr. Putter is finding it absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to sleep. Why is he struggling to sleep?! Perhaps because he had WAY too many jelly rolls at Mrs. Teaberry's house. How many is too many?! Well, I think we can one and all agree that TWENTY-ONE pineapple jelly rolls are too many for any person to consume at a time!!!!!

Knowing that he can't sleep, Mr. Putter decides to go for a walk outside--with his cat, Tabby--to enjoy the stars. Maybe his stomach will settle after a little exercise!

My thoughts: I LOVE these characters so much!!!! This early chapter series is the best of the best! This neighborhood stroll is just LOVELY.


© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter Makes a Wish

Mr. Putter & Tabby Make a Wish (Mr. Putter & Tabby #14). Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2005. HMH. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was a beautiful morning. Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, were eating raisin crumpets and apple jam and reading the morning paper. Mr. Putter looked at the date of the paper: October 2. "Good heavens, Tabby!" said Mr. Putter. "It's my birthday!"

Premise/plot: It is Mr. Putter's birthday. At first he tries to be practical and sensible. He is much too old to want to CELEBRATE his birthday. He's "too old" for balloons and cakes and presents. Isn't he? But the more he thinks about birthdays gone by, the more he wants to celebrate THIS ONE. Perhaps a little celebratory tea with his neighbor Mrs. Teaberry would be just the thing...

My thoughts: I love, love, love Mr. Putter and Tabby. In this one, readers get another chance to glimpse a YOUNG Mr. Putter--with his adorable red hair. Readers also get to see Mr. Putter struggling with waiting patiently. I think everyone can relate to that! Mr. Putter has to wait and wait and wait and wait for Mrs. Teaberry to come over. Though readers might suspect that she's busy planning something special for his birthday, something that takes TIME.

This one was a JOY to read.


© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Case of the Troublesome Turtle

The Case of the Troublesome Turtle. (High Rise Private Eyes #4) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. 2001. 47 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Bunny enjoyed painting on Sundays. "Why don't you paint me?" asked Jack. "Because you won't sit still," said Bunny. "Yes, I will," said Jack. "No, you won't," said Bunny.

Premise/plot: Bunny and Jack have a new case to solve. Someone is stealing balloons from Mr. Paris' toy store. Can these two detectives figure out who or why? Often with these two they begin by focusing on the why to figure out the who. Why would anyone want to steal green and yellow balloons? Why are the balloons only stolen on Friday nights?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. It may be my favorite of the series. I'm not sure if kids enjoy the banter between Bunny and Jack as much as I do. I don't always love it. In some books it can be more annoying than amusing. But this one opens with Bunny painting a portrait of Jack. That illustration is hilarious!

I believe I've now read all the books in the series.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers