The Princess and the Pea: In Miniature, After the Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen (review)
2006; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 59; Issue: 11 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2006.0479
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Themes in Literature Analysis
ResumoReviewed by: The Princess and the Pea: In Miniature, after the Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen Karen Coats Child, Lauren The Princess and the Pea: In Miniature, after the Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen; written by Lauren Child; illus. by Lauren Child and Polly Borland. Hyperion, 2006 [40p] ISBN 0-7868-3886-8$16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 2-4 This stylish retelling of the classic tale of a sensitive princess delights on multiple levels. Child has taken her signature technique, made familiar in her Charlie and Lola stories, of inserting flat colored-ink drawings of characters with paper-collage clothes into three-dimensional settings. Here, though, the faces and bodies are narrowed into adult forms, and the settings are miniatures with exquisite details that will enchant those fascinated with dollhouse real estate. The sets are relatively uncluttered, allowing each piece to receive due attention, and they are expertly photographed with assiduous care given to well-placed shadows and lighting effects. The result is a visual feast that is masterfully complemented by the exuberant text. Using multiple font sizes and types to encourage inflected reading, Child displays a playful, winking storytelling style that highlights children's familiarity with such things as pushy parents, drama princes, and heedless but excruciatingly well-mannered princesses. Though the text is a bit long, the artful language and clever asides make it fun to read, especially with an exaggerated articulation, and the strategically repeated phrases preserve narrative memory for less experienced readers. A description of the processes Child and Borland used to create the art appears at the end, and it may well inspire readers to set up storytelling tableaux of their own, so break out the cereal boxes, odds and ends, and digital cameras. Copyright © 2006 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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