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ASIN 0374361606
Puss in Boots Hardcover – November 1, 1990by Charles Perrault (Author), Fred Marcellino (Illustrator)
Charles Perrault's Puss in Boots has been an irresistible magnet for countless illustrators ever since this classic French tale was first published in 1697. So the question arises: Do we really need another edition of Puss? Presented with Fred Marcellino's magnificent interpretation of this nimble new translation of the authentic text, book lovers young and old are apt to decide that this Puss in Boots belongs on their shelf of special favorites. Long regarded as the preeminent designer of book jackets in America, Fred Marcellino provides an unstinting visual feast in his first full-color picture book. The eadventures of that rascal, Puss, and his master, the miller's sonare portrayed in a lavish series of illustrations that range from sumptuous grandeur to comedy both boisterous and sly. Puss in Boots is a 1991 Caldecott Honor Book. Editorial ReviewsAmazon.com Review
Charles Perrault first published his collection of classic French folk tales 300 years ago, including "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," and this entertaining story about a most clever feline. In Puss and Boots, a poor miller dies and leaves his youngest son nothing but a cat. The son is none too happy about it, either; " ...once I've eaten my cat and made a muff out of the fur, I'm sure to starve," he says. But what a legacy the bequeathed cat turns out to be! The cat in tall boots creates a new identity for the youngest son--the Marquis of Carabas, complete with fine clothes, fields of wheat, a castle stolen from an ogre, and in the end, the respect of the king and the hand of the king's daughter. The story itself is gracefully and humorously told, and the text, set in large gray type, adds an old-fashioned air to the tale.
Fred Marcellino's illustrations for Puss in Boots--a Caldecott Honor Book--are infused with golden light and summer warmth in the sun-dappled woods and beside the fields of ripe grain. Many of his paintings show a masterful use of perspective; the reader sometimes looks down on a scene as though from a balcony, or from below, at a huge charging lion. Marcellino has also illustrated a version of Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier and two books by Tor Seidler, A Rat's Tale and The Wainscott Weasel. Young listeners won't soon forget this crafty character of a cat, who has a great deal of charm despite his less-than-honest means of helping his master. (Ages 5 to 9) From Publishers WeeklyPerrault's tale of the cat who makes his master's fortune has never received a more faithful yet remarkably original treatment. Marcellino ( A Rat's Tale ) breaks convention from the start by relegating the book's title and credits to the back cover. The front cover is stunning: the mysterious feline, wearing a white ruffled collar and plumed red hat, stares out with green eyes as compelling and evocative as the story itself. The artist's luxurious and skillfully designed paintings startle in their complexity and beauty. Light and shadow mingle on tiled floors, through goblets, in courtyards. The simplicity of the cobblestoned streets and the peasant scenes are contrasted with the beribboned finery of the court, where the King--in a pink sash and lacy pantaloons--sits on a gilded throne. Like Cyrano do Bergerac, Marcellino's Puss has genuine panache. Sporting only his famed boots, he waits patiently in dappled sunlight for a stray hare or, with apparent nonchalance, entraps the wide-eyed ogre. Whether he is presenting his kill to the dandified King or is coiled like any ordinary cat on a carpet at the Marquis's banquet, he seems both true feline and fairy-tale creation at the same time. From Arthur's clean, clear translation to Marcellino's opulent illustrations, this version of Perrault's classic story is brilliantly conceived and executed. All ages.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-- A striking revitalization of Perrault's classic tale. Puss, a lowly miller's cat and the miller's youngest son's only inheritance, uses his wits and his feline abilities to hoodwink a king, outwit an ogre, and marry his master off to the king's daughter, thereby making his own and his master's fortune. The text is essentially true to the original, although considerably pared down. The blunt, straightforward style reads easily and retains several of Perrault's acerbic commentaries on life. But what could have been just another edition of the story is raised above the mundane by the strength of Marcellino's illustrations and book's design. By placing title, author, and illustrator credits on the back, Marcellino has created an arresting front cover--a dramatic close-up of Puss that creates a feeling of eager anticipation and invites readers to open the book and learn this fellow's amazing story. Inside, he lives up to the cover's promise. Cropped pictures set into blocks of text, richly muted colors, and a soft, hazy focus combine to evoke a sense of looking into a fabulous past, washed in dusty sunlight, where such marvelous events are entirely possible. Page design is clean and spacious and, by making effective use of unusual perspectives, the artist provides readers with frequent "cat's-eye views" of the action, strengthening their identification with Puss and allowing them to share in his triumph.
- Linda Boyles, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review
This picturebook provides a fitting showcase for Perrault's artful tale of deceit and recourcefulness. Befitting a fairy tale, the artwork inside is suffused with a golden light that proclaims the story to be from a sunnier, more dreamlike world. (Starred, Booklist)
Large and strikingly original illustrations embellish a straight-forward retelling of the famous story. . .The pictures are filled with sly details...A noteworthy edition. . .splendid for reading aloud. (Starred, The Horn Book) The artist's luxurious and skillfully designed paintings startle in their complexity and beauty. . .This version of Perrault's classic story is brilliantly conceived and executed. (Boxed review, Publishers Weekly) About the AuthorCHARLES PERRAULT (1628-1703) is considered the original creator of the fairy tale, having written such classics as Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. FRED MARCELLINO (1939-2001) began his career in illustration with A Rat's Tale (available from Farrar Straus Giroux). Puss in Boots was his first full-color picture book and a Caldecott Honor winner. He continued to win awards and receive critical acclaim for his children's books until his death in 2001. Product details
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