Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa [Paperback]

William Steig (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Trophy Picture Books

In the further adventures of the hero from the Newbery Honor-winning Doctor De Soto, the diminutive dentist is summoned by cablegram to Africa to aid Mudambo, an elephant with an unbearable toothache.

Children's Choices for 1993 (IRA/CBC)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Articulating the affection of a multitude of fans--"Dr. Bernard De Soto was such a one-in-a-million, humdinger of a dentist that the whole world knew about him"--Steig reintroduces the debonair mouse-dentist and his beloved wife/assistant, Deborah. The dental dilemma of an elephant named Mudambo lead the duo on a pain relief mission to West Africa. No sooner are they ashore than Dr. De Soto is kidnapped by "a certain rhesus monkey, Honkitonk by name," sworn enemy of Mudambo--who considers his foe "an ill-bred pachyderm with a preposterous schnozzola." It's all here: the exuberant, Steigian phrases that somersault off the tongue, the nimble humor, the unflinching drama. Unfortunately, the rather complex plot doesn't utilize the dentist's by-now-legendary cunning for its resolution; it does, however, showcase the equally skilled, ever-faithful Deborah. Creatures of every stripe and feather populate this unique African jungle, evoking images and characters from previous works. Yet the vibrant, colorful illustrations exude a freshness and pizzazz that will leave readers wondering where the next world-class toothache will strike. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2 --A telegram from an elephant desperately in need of dental attention is the impetus for Dr. and Mrs. De Soto's journey to Africa. But not all is smooth sailing for the couple, as a rhesus monkey bears a grudge against the elephant for a previous insult, and kidnaps the diminutive dentist as revenge. There are some situations here that are ripe for Steig's standard brand of humor, but the text is missing his inventive, playful language and his subtle word choices. It's a bland telling, with some of the lines more like captions than integrated storytelling. The illustrations are deftly drawn and nicely composed, with the agonized patient stealing the show. Steig takes full advantage of the size disparity between the grandiose elephants and their furnishings and the miniscule mice, and gets in some amusing touches. However, the colors seem too pale and drab for the steamy, sunny climate, and the adventure is too mild to warrant repeated readings.
- Trev Jones, School Library Journal
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 2nd edition (April 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440830184
• ISBN-13: 978-0440830184
• ASIN: 0062059017
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Steig, William

More About the Author

William Steig (1907-2003) published his first children's book, Roland the Minstrel Pig, in 1968, and received the Caldecott Medal for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (978-1416902065) in 1970. His works also include The Amazing Bone, a Caldecott Honor Book, and Abel's Island and Doctor De Soto, both Newbery Honor Books. His most recent books published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux are Shrek! (released by DreamWorks as a major motion picture) and Wizzil, illustrated by Quentin Blake. School Library Journal named Shrek! a Best Book of 1990 and said of it, "Steig's inimitable wit and artistic dash have never been sharper or more expertly blended."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A find for the parent whose child demands repeat readings!, April 11, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa (Paperback)

Most children want to hear a storybook over and over again, which quickly becomes tedious for even the most indulgent parent. William Steig is one of the few children's authors who has managed to write books that children adore and adults enjoy, even when they can be recited from memory. The adventures of Dr. Bernard De Soto and his wife Deborah are interesting and surprising. The illustrations are guaranteed to make both child and reader smile. Steig is most masterful in his use of words: he picks words that are not commonly heard, especially by children ("an ill-bred pachyderm with a preposterious schnozzola"), and the words he chooses are fun to say and to hear! My two year old loves to hear me say "Honkitonk", "Mudambo", "yes indeedle-de-doe" and "gold walulus". My six year old gets a thrill from hearing someone called a "moron", and learning about Caruso. I like the drawings of Mrs. Mudambo, an elephant who wears earrings and a necklace. If you are searching for books that will satisfy a child's voracious appetite for repeated stories, check out William Steig's Dr. De Soto Goes to Africa. It just may keep you sane until your child learns to read!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doctor DeSoto, well-traveled mouse dentist!, July 17, 2002

By 

Catherine S. Vodrey (East Liverpool, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa (Paperback)

William Steig's inimitable mouse creation, Doctor DeSoto, goes on a wonderful adventure in this wonderful book. Along with his able assistant and wife, Deborah, he travels via ocean liner to Africa to see about fixing the tooth of an ailing elephant. While there, the DeSotos get into all sorts of difficulties, all of which are vividly, colorfully illustrated by Steig.

Steig has a wonderful way with artwork, as those who love him already know, but he has an equally uncanny knack with narrative. Eschewing simple phrases and tiny words, he throws around plot and dialogue with great vim and vigor and his enthusiasm and childlike view of this mouse couple are infectious. Highly recommended!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Product of a Strange but Brilliant Mind, August 17, 2007

By 

Lightman (New York) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa (Paperback)

What makes William Steig tick?

Reading this book one can only wonder at the inner workings of a sublime and zany mind. Is he mad? At times he seems to barely skirt the edge of lunacy - an imagination such as this is anything but normal.

Do you want your kids to read this?

Absolutely - just make sure they buckle their seatbelts first.

Here's how it starts...

"Doctor Bernard De Soto was such a one-in-a-million, humdinger of a dentist that the whole world knew about him, and also about his wife, Deborah, who helped him work his wonders".

De Soto, it should be noted is a very refined and professional looking mouse. But why in the world is his wife's name Deborah?

Steig continues, "The two of them were listening to Caruso one evening when this cablegram arrived"...

Of all the things the DeSotos might be listening to, why Caruso? The author surely has a reason as each such unexpected choice contributes to the the book's bent and altered state of reality.

The cablegram contains an offer of ten thousand gold walulus as an incentive for Dr. D. and his wife D. to travel to Dabwan West Africa to deal with the giant toothache of a seriously suffering elephant. And so the action gets underway.

Along the way things take a dark and scary twist. "Around midnight, while his wife slept, Dr. Bernard De Soto was kidnapped. A hand covered his mouth, and he was hustled off in the clutches of a certain rhesus monkey, Honkitonk by name."

Why in the middle of the book is the by now well known protagonist referred to as "Doctor Bernard De Soto"? By now you get the idea...

In the end, however, all is well. The successful dental intervention liberates the pachyderm from pain and he and his wife dance a "frolicsome fandango".

Just amazing.