An ottoman has spent as long as he can remember trying to get close to a lady's chair; and though fortune separates them and they seem to come to unhappy ends, a marvelous coincidence reunites them in a very happy way.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
| ||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Eccentric black-and-white pictures upholster this finely crafted story, written with originality, sensibility and charm. Quite surprisingly, it's a story about furniture that raises several thought-provoking and witty questions: What would you do if you were a chair or an ottoman placed (or misplaced) as part of a setunable to move by yourself? What if you were sold, purchased, auctioned, thrown out, trampled on, deposited in junk shops or in storerooms with common stepladders and packing crates? The red-velvet ottoman, though equipped with brass wheels, cannot get one inch closer to the chinaberry leaf-covered lady's chair until Duncan Fiefe, an artisan and antique-store owner, removes its velvet cover and discovers the woebegone object's real identity. It's a moving drama of separation and reunion, of powerlessness and of the blindness and exhilaration of chance occurrences. Tennyson's story is crowded with minor dramatic characters: an arrogant pair of stuffed armchairs, a wise and kind grandfather clock who wakes himself up from naps, an impolite stepladder and a restored Victorian loveseat who says of Duncan's work, "If that's not art, then I'm a hideaway bed." The illustrations reveal the subdued mood of this remarkable world of interiors. Visual referencesto a wind-up toy, a gramaphone, real animals (mice, rats, a cat and a dog) and peopleallow Tennyson to depict what she doesn't state outright in the text, adding to the story a fitting and uncluttered set of pictorial allusions that will enrich and delight any who enter these rooms. With expressive illustrations and a sensitive wit, Tennyson's elegant debut will leave no reader unmoved. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5 An ottoman who lives in the comfortable home of an elderly lady has always yearned to be closer to a lovely lady's chair that he has glimpsed through the doorway to the next room. This unusual story follows the ottoman through a series of unsettling, but entirely believable, events when the illness of his owner and the consequent sale of her house and furniture separates him from the chair. In the end, however, his patience, love, and good faith are rewarded. Tennyson has illustrated her tale with warm, humorous, intricately detailed charcoal pencil drawings. Each face, each piece of furniture, each animal and knickknack exudes a personality of its own. Mrs. Seddi Hopewell is a ``real lady.'' An apron covers her cuffed dress; she serves tea and cakes to her friends in a home that is made cozy with poofy curtains, period furniture, victrola, and antique toys. Duncan Fiefe, the ottoman's final owner, is a pipe-smoking craftsman with an eye for fine furniture. Three boys to whose home the lady's chair is taken are true Norman Rockwell types, and a vacuum cleaner salesman bears an uncanny resemblance to Fred Astaire. The freshness of the story; the superb, entertaining illustrations; and the delightful way in which the tale is told make it a real winner. Here is a treasure of a booka love story to share with your favorite young readers. Susan Scheps, Bertram Woods Library, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for people downsizing,
This review is from: The lady's chair and the ottoman (Hardcover)
I have been able to get this book through Amazon's Used Book Sellers. I read it to my children years ago. I hope somehow this book can be reprinted and marketed to the Baby Boomers and their parents. It's a beautiful love story, at heart. When my husband and I downsized to a smaller home, the book helped so much in letting me give away furniture that we could no longer use. I don't think I could have parted with precious pieces had I not read this book years ago -- I feel the furniture I donated will eventually find a home with just the right people. A ministry in my church is using this book's theme to help people who have to leave their home for assisted living, moving closer to family, etc. I hope whoever owns the rights to this book will find a way to remarket it-- it's so much more than a children's book. Thanks to the writer and to Amazon for having it available used.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
