Reviews: (by author)

(3 reviews)

Four Little Troubles:
Someone Is Talking About Hortense
Eugene
Snake: His Story
Sing Out, Irene

by James Marshall, text and illustrations. Story by Laurette Murdock (Someone Is Talking about Hortense). Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000 (©1975). $5.95 each.

Someone Is Talking about Hortense. ISBN 0-618-07318-3
Eugene. ISBN 0-618-07319-1
Snake: His Story. ISBN 0-618-07320-5
Sing Out, Irene. ISBN 0-618-07321-3

The four funny little books by James Marshall each revolves around an everyday situation most young children will recognize. Hortense the raccoon is suspicious when her friends whisper behind her back. Eugene the turtle is anxious about the first day in school. Snake is different because, unlike other snakes, he can hear, so nobody wants to play with him. And Irene the bulldog is embarrassed to be given the role of a toadstool in a school play. Needless to say, every problem is neatly solved. Witty illustrations with many details save the books from excessive didacticism.

Reviewed by Maria Nikolajeva

 

James Marshall. Taking Care of Carruthers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000 (© 1981). 123 pp. ISBN 0-618-07040-0. §4 4.95 (paperpack).

I am not a great fan of James Marshall's art, and his text is flat and pointless. It never rises to the brilliancy of Carrollian nonsense, which could have compensated for the lack of plot, characterization or message. Some children may find it amusing, but this is one of those books which you read and immediately forget.

Reviewed by Maria Nikolajeva

 

James Marshall. Wings: A Tale of Two Chickens. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1986. $4.95. ISBN 0-618-31659-0. 31 pp.

Wings: A Tale of Two Chickens is a goofy story about two chicken friends who have very different personalities. Harriet is intelligent and keeps herself busy with reading and hobbies, while Winnie is ignorant, flighty, and bored. One day Winnie jumps into a hot-air balloon basket for excitement, unaware that her new friend is a cunning fox planning to make her his meal. Through sheer accident, Winnie unknowingly escapes the fox only to approach him again to ask for directions home. She is captured again and Harriet disguises herself as a fox and steals Winnie away from him. He chases them and just as he is about to capture them with a net, his hot-air balloon floats by and the two chickens jump in. When they get home, Harriet gives Winnie a book on foxes to read.

This comical book is an outrageous comedy. It's as silly as it can get, bordering on corny. It is cute and entertaining and teaches children to be chickens like Harriet.

Recommended
Holly Boland, May 2004

Back to Reviews L-Q