Customer Reviews

Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm surprised that the specs for this book state ages 9-12.

Both of my daughters, ages 2.5 and 5.5 ***love*** this book! It's one of their favorites.

It's written in very unusual style for a child's book -- apparently it's written the way Gertrude wrote.

Alice is also written a central part of her life, and I'm glad they aren't brushing her under the rug.

The illustrations are fantastic, very beautiful, and with a different palette on each page.

The text is all over the place, with font size changing to indicate emphasis, and not all lined up on a horizontal plane -- sometimes it's wavy or stacked.

Highly recommend this book for people who want to read outside the usual stack.

Modern, fun, silly and also kind of brilliant.

A perfect blend of interesting, lyrical, surprising language and engaging, whimsical illustration, this picture book offers an accessible introduction to a wonderful, modern life.

Gertrude is Gertrude and Alice is Alice and readers are invited to join them for tea. Gertrude is a queen who knows famous writers and has some improbable names for pets in this intriguing story filled with fine drawings by Calef Brown.

At last a children's picture book devoted to Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas! And what an entertaining and fun introduction for both children and adults. The text reflects Gertrude's repetitive, terse style with a touch of humor which I think would also have made her laugh. The events and places chosen for the story accurately reflect aspects of GertrudeandAlice's life together ---whether their parties in Paris (with Picasso, Matisse and Hemingway), their picnics in the countryside, Alice's typing of Gertrude's manuscripts or jaunts with their poodle Basket. The brightly colored illustrations are reminiscent of the vibrant colors in the paintings that hung in their apartment in Paris and are creatively mingled with the text which is presented in small and large fonts. A wonderful book that children and adults will want to browse through over and over again to become a part of the lives of this remarkable couple!

Two small errors in the book--Basket their poodle was white not black and in the biographical note about Stein, the year of her birth is incorrect---should be 1874 not 1872. (Maybe these can be fixed in future editions!)

A pleasant simple habitual and tyrannical and authorised and educated and resumed and articulate separation. This is not tardy.

(If you are a fan of 20th Century modern art and literature, you must add this to book to your child's library! It is a brilliant invitation to 27 Rue de Fleurus for all modern-revivalist toddlers. Calef Brown's captivating artwork brings Jonah Winter's Stein-like prose to life. This book is whimsical, modern, fun, semi-historical, and, above all, a perfect introduction to the abstract genius of Gertrude Stein, mother of the Lost Generation.)

This child's book is written in Gertrude Stein's style of writing. Whimsical and also introduces children to famous artists who were part of Stein's circle, e.g. Picasso, Matisse. The issue of the relationship between Stein and Alice B. Toklas is subtly suggested.

Okay, from reading the endnote I understand that the title is an imitation of Gertrude Stein's most quoted line, "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." I will admit it - Gertrude Stein is someone I've heard of (how could I not as an English major?) and I think I may have read something she's written, but obviously it did not have a major impact on me or I would remember more. (Watch, I'll find a short story or something and say "OH! I do like/remember her!")

Anyways, I guess my point is that if you know nothing of Gertrude Stein this book will seem difficult and silly. On the other hand, kids love silly, so they may very well enjoy the word play that is going on in this book. Unfortunately, I was not entertained, nor did I really love the format. I do like that the illustrations are done in the spirit of Picasso's modernism, but that type of work just doesn't always work for me. I also liked the fact that we're introduced to Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and a poodle named Basket who was apparently a popular figure at Gertrude's Paris salons.

Really, I don't love this book because it's just not my thing. The upside of this book is that it is a very teachable way to talk to children about the expatriates like Stein who lived in Paris in the early 1900s. The fact that the book introduces such figures as Picasso, Matisse and Hemingway allows teachers to talk more about the art of the artists, and the writings of the writers (and no, Hemingway is not a favorite either. I once had a professor who said if you loved Hemingway you would loathe Fitzgerald, and vice versa. I fall squarely in the love Fitzgerald camp, in case you wanted to know - so no, you will most likely never read a review of Hemingway by me).

I think I have now officially written the most confusing review ever. Bottom Line: Read it for yourself first or even test it out on your child(ren). There is no reason some people won't like this book, I just don't.

The best part of the book for me is that it encourages children to write if they want to, and that they should write what they want. So if they want to write, `Red is red is red is red," then so be it. They could apparently be the next Stein!

Notes on the Cover:
The purple on Gertrude's dress really pops against the yellow background. Again, the cover really doesn't do it for me. I was intrigued with the premise of the book, but it sadly did not live up to my expectations - but then again, I'm probably missing the whole point of it as I am not an avid reader of Stein.