The Cod's Tale [Hardcover]

Mark Kurlansky (Author), S. D. Schindler (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

"Excellent ink drawings, brightened with colorful washes, illustrate incidents from the text with clarity, a flair for the dramatic, and a sense of humor." (Booklist, starred review)

"Kurlansky is a masterful storyteller. . . . Schindler's pictures, from serious to silly, add to the pleasure . . . . Readers of this title will never again look at fish and chips in quite the same way." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Breezy, kid-friendly prose. . . . Fascinating and informative . . . bound to hook young readers." (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Parents may have read or heard of Mark Kurlansky's runaway bestseller Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World. It's an improbably fascinating story, and here, Kurlansky has teamed up with superb illustrator S.D. Schindler to tell it all over again, this time for kids. The life history of the cod--driven by its insatiable hunger--is interwoven with the insatiable hunger of people, from the Vikings onwards. The illustrations are both informative (a cross-section of the Continental Shelf, a map of the Atlantic) and humorous (comical New Englanders dancing for joy at the invention of frozen fish fingers). Along the way, the reader accidentally learns a great deal about the Vikings, the Basques, the American Revolution, the slave trade--and the current danger, once thought impossible, that the cod will be fished to extinction. Too chewy for children under about 5 or 6, this is an excellent bellyful of high-protein nonfiction for all children and even their parents. (Ages 6 to 12) --Richard Farr

From Publishers Weekly

In this concise and informative adaptation of his book for adults, Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, Kurlansky traces the role that the once plentiful Atlantic cod has played in the history of North America and Europe. After describing the habits and habitat of this fish, the author explains its importance to both the survival and the economy of various peoples the Vikings, the Basques, European explorers, subsequent North Atlantic colonists and 20th-century Americans as well as its role in the slave trade and even Columbus's 1492 voyage to America. Sprinkled throughout are some lively historical anecdotes and quotes from books from various periods. Translating his 300-plus page book to a picture book for young people, Kurlansky's narrative becomes somewhat murky or misleading at times (as when he notes that, unlike the original American colonies, those to the far north, such as Nova Scotia, Quebec and Newfoundland, remained loyal to the British Empire: "It was too cold to fish for cod in their northern winters and so they did not develop as prosperous an economy as had given the lower thirteen a feeling of independence"). But a timeline running along the bottom of each spread and the clever conceit of following the fish through history will keep readers on track. Schindler's (Gold Fever) watercolor-and-ink illustrations effectively depict the changing eras, and humorous particulars perk up the narrative. Ages 5-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399234764
• ISBN-13: 978-0399234767
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 10.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,776 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark Kurlansky is a New York Times bestselling and James A. Beard Award-winning author. He is the recipient of a Bon Appétit American Food and Entertaining Award for Food Writer of the Year, and the Glenfiddich Food and Drink Award for Food Book of the year.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fish that Changed the World....., February 13, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cod's Tale (Hardcover)

It's hard to believe that anyone could write an interesting and informative book detailing the life and history of the cod fish, or more to the point, that it could hold your interest, but that's exactly what Mark Kurlansky has done. His fascinating and engaging narrative, based on his adult book, Cod: A Biography Of The Fish That Changed The World, explores this once plentiful fish's place in history, from the Vikings, Basques, and European explorers, to Colonial America, the slave trade, American Revolution, and the technological inventions of the twentieth century that changed fishing and processing forever. Written in an easy to read, conversational style, Mr Kurlansky's intriguing story is part biology, part history, part sociology, and is chock full of interesting fun facts, trivia, humorous anecdotes, maps, recipes, and a marvelous time line that runs through the entire book and puts all this information in perspective. S.D. Schindler's bright, bold, and charming artwork is clever and entertaining, and kids will enjoy poring over the busy illustrations, and finding all the wonderful, special details. Perfect for youngsters 8 and older, The Cod's Tale takes you on a whirlwind adventure, and a very unique thousand year journey with a most unromantic, though endearing fish. This is non-fiction for kids at its very best, and a book that definitely shouldn't be missed.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Homeschool Mom, August 11, 2007

By 

D. Perkins (Grand Junction, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Cod's Tale (Hardcover)

As a homeschool mom I can't say enough about this book. What a wonderful surprise to find a book connecting human history to one single species of fish in a remarkably entertaining way. Ecology and history so intertwined it illustrates how we are all connected in a balanced web of life! Bravo to Mark Kurlansky, I will be looking for more of his works after this first introduction!

5.0 out of 5 stars An Introduction to Role of Economics in World History, November 23, 2011

By 

Marco Antonio Abarca (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cod's Tale (Hardcover)

I have spent the last several months reading books about the Age of Exploration to my eight year old son. "The Cod's Tale" fits nicely into our studies. When studying history, it is very easy to forget the economic underpinnings that drive World History. Without the abundant Cod fish, the economic development of the United States would have happened a lot slower pace. "The Cod's Tale" does a great job of introducing young children to the importance of economics in driving history. Highly recommended.