The Faithful Friend [Paperback]

Robert D. San Souci (Author), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999 | Age Level: 5 and up

On the lush tropical island of Martinique live Clement and Hippolyte, two inseparable friends. When Clement falls in love with the beautiful Pauline, Hippolyte agrees to join his best friend on his journey to propose marriage. But when Pauline accepts Clement's proposal, it enrages her uncle Monsieur Zabocat -- reputed to be a quimboiseur, a wizard. To prevent the wedding, the old wizard lures Hippolyte into a deadly trap, forcing him to choose between his friend's safety and his own.

Robert D. San Souci and Brian Pinkney again combine their talents in this beautiful retelling of a traditional tale from the French West Indies. The result is an extraordinary story of romance, intrigue, and incomparable courage in which the truest of friends remain faithful to the very end.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in Martinique, this impressive supernatural tale, which won a 1996 Caldecott Honor, "neatly distills the flavor of the French West Indies," said PW's starred review. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4?On the beautiful island of Martinique in the 19th century, good friends Hippolyte, the son of a French-born widow, and Clement, a rich landowner's son, set out to meet a young woman Clement has fallen hopelessly in love through her picture. At their destination, they encounter the prospective bride's frightening uncle, Monsieur Zabocat, purportedly a quimboiseur, or wizard, of the worst degree. After overcoming Zabocat's several curses, which lead both young men into many true tests of friendship, the couple is married and all ends happily. Pinkney's scratchboard and oil artwork switches from bright daytime hues for most of the book to purples and grays for scenes with the zombies and snakes, which are very effective. An afterword gives valuable information about the origins of the tale, and a glossary with pronunciation makes reading aloud and/or telling the tale a real pleasure. This excellent title contains all the elements of a well-researched folktale, and convincingly conveys the richness of the West Indian culture.?Marlene Lee, Broward County Library, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689824580
• ISBN-13: 978-0689824586
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Set in Jamaica, a tale of true friendship., March 27, 2000

By 

Dana H. Pasterjak "Dana" (Palm Coast, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Faithful Friend (Paperback)

This story is told similar to that of a folkloric tale passed on for many years from generation to generation. It has spiritual undertones and an essence of an important life lesson passed down time and again in a family. The illustrations are wonderful, (Pinkney's artwork is always great) and it is evocative of the island's mystery and danger. The two main characters' friendship is strong, bi-racial and surprise! The friend proving loyalty is the white man to the black man. This is a new one. It is the black man who has good fortune and is getting married! We need more examples like this in children's literature of mixed friendships, different ways to look at the world, new culture, strange new lands, and ties that bind people together rather than the tired old stereotypes. The students in my classroom loved this tale, because it was so fresh and new. As a teacher who is caucasian teaching in a predominantly black school, I look to Robert D. San Souci for interesting stories that appeal to the population I teach. The students always enjoy his stories such as The White Cat, etc. All are folktales with strong, interesting themes.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Two Friends with Loyalty, April 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Faithful Friend (Paperback)

This book represents the length that a friend will go to help and care for a true friend. These two young men have built a very strong bond that holds them together like brothers. This story takes place on an island with many twists and turns that make it a very exciting story. I think it is very important to let children know that we should be loyal to others in time of need. This story really hits on the true meaning of friendship, although it is fiction. My students love the illustrations which are done in scratchboard. Robert D. San Souci is a very good author for folk literature. I also like his book, The Talking Eggs. His work is good for teaching good values, or morals to students through unreal happenings.

4.0 out of 5 stars True Friendship, November 23, 2010

By 

Megan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Faithful Friend (Paperback)

This was a fascinating folktale about friendship. I liked the fact that the story is based on a black and white friendship because it shows children to look past race and see a true friendship. Children will love the plot in the story and the characters journey's throughout the story made me want to read more and more. I really enjoyed all the illustrations as well as the story.