The wave loves the old woman. That is why it waits on dry land, curled over her house, bent low to hear her every word. Most of these are grumpy, though, for the old woman has lived her whole life beneath the wave and therfore can see nothing good in it. Her roof is stuck like a pincushion with umbrellas, which she hopes will stem the drippings and droppings from above. But no. She and the wave go on with their lives until a wanderer appears and sees not the bother in the wondrous wave, but the possibilities. And then the old woman can see them, too, and together with her old dog Bones she flows away toward the blue and distant mountains, surging and plunging, swirling and climbing in a washtub boat she's had handy just in case the wave ever fell. It had fallen years ago: in love. The words and spectacular collage paintings make something majestic out of newfound vision -- an original way for sharing with young dreamers.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
How does a person find courage to face her biggest fear? Jackson (Willy's Silly Grandma) explores this existential question with humor and sympathy, using her sophisticated collage art to create drama through a pastiche of characters and landscapes. The simple plot centers on an old woman whose house sits precariously under an enormous wave. The woman's crankiness hides her all-consuming fear of the wave and the life-threatening disaster she believes will happen at any second. Branding the wave "wasteful," "careless" and "clumsy," she pretends to ignore it until her more adventurous dog plunges into the metaphoric source of life. This is a "once upon a time" story in the true sense, in which fear of the unknown is never outgrown, but is, rather, faced and overcome. Jackson's artistry in telling the old woman's story works, as folktales do, to create an otherworldly landscape and the perspective needed to face life's "waves" fearlessly. By illustrating the tale with gloriously detailed word pictures (many contain phrases that are potential clues to the woman's liberation) Jackson may also inspire readers of all ages to take an artistic approach to problem solving. Even though the deeper meaning may be lost on young readers, there is plenty of drama and whimsy to keep the entertainment level high. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3?If Catherine Cowan's My Life with the Wave (Lothrop, 1997) whetted children's fancy, suggest this delightful story about another human interacting with a wave. An old woman has lived her whole life under a wave that hovers over her house. She is prepared with a boat in case it ever falls, but the daily drips and drops are a part of her routines. The wave loves the old woman, even though she has never noticed its beauty. When a young woman wanders along looking for work, the old woman sends her to the roof to patch the umbrellas that help keep it dry. As the stranger leaves, she observes that the swell "...could take someone a long way, if someone wanted to go." When her dog, Bones, prances into the wave and won't come back, the old woman takes her boat to fetch him, but the view from the crest gives her a new perspective on her world and beyond. Adults will love the underlying message and kids will love the frolicking, quirky story. Stylized collage illustrations incorporate map scraps and segments of type that play against the curl of the blue-green wave that undulates through the page design. The combination of whimsical illustrations and buoyant story make a refreshing splash.?Julie Cummins, New York Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
Shelley Jackson has written and illustrated several books for children, including The Old Woman and the Wave (DK Children, 1998) and Sophia, the Alchemist's Dog (Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2002). Her most recent book, The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice Harrington (FSG, 2007), received several awards and starred reviews. Shelley's books for adults include The Melancholy of Anatomy (Anchor Books, 2002) and Half Life (HarperCollins, 2006). She is well known for her pioneering cross-genre experiments such as her groundbreaking hypertext novel, Patchwork Girl, and her ongoing Skin Project, a novella published exclusively in the form of tattoos on the skin of volunteers, one word at a time. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. To learn more, please visit her website: http://ineradicablestain.com/
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful collage illustrations,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Old Woman and The Wave, (Hardcover)
I loved this book, almost enough to give five stars. It's wonderful to meet a real, cranky character and the patience of nature who waits for her to find herself. The illustrations give a lot to look at. Certainly NOT just for children 4-8.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What a unique book!,
By Hui Liao (Poeme68@aol.com) (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Old Woman and The Wave, (Hardcover)
Sometimes we fail to perceive the beauty of a place if we have been there too long. This is what happens to the old woman who has lived at the foot of a standing wave all her life. The wave loves her. It bends low to her as if it is going to kiss her. It tries to please her by offering her gifts such as shadows of dancing fish. But the woman simply sees the wave as an enemy instead of a friend and a possibility--until one day a traveler passes by . . . This book could be used to remind children, as well as adults, that sometimes we simply forget to appreciate what's right around us.The illustrations are gorgeous collage paintings. My five-year-old child enjoys this book. He thinks it is beautiful. Readers who are older will not only love the beauty of its language and illustrations but also the meaning the story connotes.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Old Woman and The Wave,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Old Woman and The Wave, (Hardcover)
Book just as described with a little wear. This was my sons favorite book as a child so I purchased it for him at the age of seventeen. He was touched and had to read it soon as he opened it.
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