Brave Little Tailor [Hardcover]

B. Grimm (Author), S Goloshopov (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

A tailor who kills seven flies with one blow outwits the king and earns half his kingdom and his daughter's hand in marriage.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5. Goloshapov uses watercolor, gouache, and ink to illustrate the well-known Grimms' tale. His dark palette and grotesquely distorted figures give the story a bleak and surreal look. Bell's translation is lively and spirited, but the cheerful and irrepressible tailor is overwhelmed in the paintings by the giants and monsters he must vanquish. The unicorn has green spots all over its white body and a green horn and hooves?a unique vision to be sure but one that is oddly disturbing and adds nothing to the story. The book's layout makes it difficult to read because too often the text is printed on such dark and mottled backgrounds that the words are barely visible. Versions illustrated by Freya Littledale (Scholastic, 1990) and James Warhola (S & S, 1992) are better suited for young readers.?Connie C. Rockman, formerly at Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

One of the Grimms' more eccentric tales receives the outlandish attention of Goloshapov (The Six Servants, 1996, etc.), whose ominous illustrations give the story its due. The tailor of the title starts to entertain visions of his heroism after he swats seven flies dead in a single swipe. So smitten by this act is he that he sews a belt to commemorate the event, stitched with the words ``Seven at a blow!'' The tailor sets out to seek his fortune, conquering one brutish character after another--giant louts, vicious animals, conniving royalty--through cleverness and luck. When he is made king, it seems only natural. The tailor's goofy countenance belies his instinct for survival; the giants are massive dimwits with lantern jaws--ideal as foes. The rest of the artwork is equally full of character: a unicorn with a devilish horn, a bewhiskered boar. The atmosphere is perfect, but Goloshapov finds so many sinister landscapes and backdrops for the tailor's successes that the type--running across veins of blood-red or along dark, scumbled textures--is occasionally difficult to read, making the text more of an afterthought than an essential component of the page. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: North-South (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558586342
• ISBN-13: 978-1558586345
• Product Dimensions: 13.3 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,508,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Brave Little Tailor, April 26, 2004

By 

Brittny (Pensacola, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brave Little Tailor (Hardcover)

This is the most famous version of "The Brave Little Tailor." Although there are many countries around the world that have their own little tailor, his role stays the same. He is a cultural hero. For example, here in the states, he lived the American dream.

In the story, the little tailor, let's name him Bob, killed seven flies at once. He embroidered his great defeat on his girdle and people made assumptions that it was seven men, not flies. Throughout the story, Bob used his intellect and great use of trickery to receive half of unknown land and the always beautiful princess.

This is an awesome book for children to read. It could teach them that they don't have to be poor all of their lives. Yes, kids won't get the chance to trick a unicorn, a wild boar, and 3 dumb giants to get rich, but this story explains that using the ole noggin can get you places, just like Bob.