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Title: Puss in Boots (Sunburst Book)
ISBN: 0374460345
Author:
Charles Perrault
Publicate Date: 1998-09-25
Publish: 1998-09-25
List Price: $8.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.20
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $3.15
Amazon Merchant Price: $8.95
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Should have won the gold!
Facial expressions are everything in Fred Marcellino's illustrations of Puss in Boots, the famous folk tale by Charles Perrault. This book won the Caldecott Honor Medal in 1991.
As a children's librarian, I always ask my audience where the story begins. Their assumption is on page one until I show them that sometimes the story begins on the cover. Children's illustrators are nothing if not creative. Look at the dust jacket--there he is, Puss looking regal in royal clothes. Now turn to the title page: Puss is seeking food on a ship in the form of unsuspecting mice. Where is this story going with two discrepant images? Page two of the double spread--Puss is going to be eaten. Look at that feline face? Eaten? Say whaaaa?
Now Puss gets boots and begins to show his new master his guiles, all the while gifting the king with the largesse of his own lands, which Puss passes off as gifts from the Marquis of Carabas, a name Puss invents for his poor master. This elaborate ruse is continued until Puss manages a marriage between the king's daughter and his Marquis, all without a hitch. Well, of course, this is a fairy tale, if you consider Puss as a kind of fairy. That is the simple straight-away of the story.
Now consider the artwork, the finest version of any I have ever seen for Puss. The poor peasant/Marquis is handsome, Puss is handsome, the princess is beautiful, the castle is gorgeous, clothing is awesome, the ogre is ugly. Look again. The artwork is reminiscent of paintings from the Renaissance when perspective was "invented" and all artwork was perfect and detailed. Is Marcellino saying that Puss was placed in a perfect setting to display his perfect skills of ledgerdemaine, so to speak?
Notice also the location of "viewer," another aspect of perspective. The viewer is always part of the action, looking up or down or around or through or under, sometimes in a humorous view or scary or bold, but always right there, almost as part of the action.
If those qualities of his artwork aren't enough, what really stands out are the facial expressions Marcellino gives his characters, especially Puss. Two standouts are the picture of Puss shouting orders to the hay cutters and his totally relaxed pose at the end when his master has married the princess and confirmed a rosy future for the two of them. Puss has de-booted, or disarmed, himself for a fully deserved rest.
Marcellino should have won the gold for this book! (David Macauley won for Black and White. OK, tough call. As much as I love Puss in Boots, I have to go with Black and White. However, my sentence stands because it makes a catchy ending.)
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2: Cats
Great book for any cat lover
author of "Hobo Finds A Home"
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3: Free SF Reader
The story of a guy that is down on his luck and broke, and all he has is a cat. Lucky for him, as this cat turns out to be rather clever. It guides him to an improvement in his station, once he realises it has intelligence.
They end up dealing with royalty, ogres, and other entertaining situations.
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4: Puss in Boots / Jar dropper
"Puss in Boots" has endured as a classic children's book because the story is excellent. The graphics are intricate, crisp, and clear. I read "Puss in Boots" at a Read Across America event to 50 second-graders. Most, if not all, of them had never heard of "Puss in Boots". There was shock and outcry when the Ogre shrank himself to the size of a mouse and then was eaten by Puss. They wanted to know why!!! The Ogre was a victim of his own ego - a show off. And Puss was ruthless. The childrens' imaginations and reasoning were stretched and the story gave them a lot to think about. I highly recommend "Puss in Boots".
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5: A well earned Caldecott
Puss in boots is always an enjoyable tale, probably because it is so based on wit.
I really enjoyed these illustrations they are glowing and friendly, making one feel very comfortable as they turn the pages. Puss is adorable, the expressions that our fine illustrator manages to convey through his feline features are just fantastic! Time and time again I was always dissapointed when I found a page that the lovely cat was not on.
A wonderful additition to any collection of books for children or lover of fairy tales.
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