Sarah So Small [Hardcover]

Tanguy Greban (Author), Quentin Greban (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Sarah is shrinking smaller by the day! After accidentally swallowing a witch's prize pearl, she is now no larger than a mouse. On the plus side, she is able to talk to animals, several of which have befriended the tiny child. Out of fear that she will soon disappear completely, Sarah, along with her animal friends, set out to right matters with the witch. It is a daring journey and only the beginning of the adventures for this charming and very little girl. This book is already a best-seller in France, Germany and Belgium.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2–Sarah is a normal three-year-old until, in a moment of greed, her father steals a pearl from Hazel, a visiting witch, and hides it in a loaf of bread. When the child accidentally swallows it, she begins to shrink until two years later, she's the size of a mouse. However, the pearl's magic also enables her to understand animal speech. Sympathetic to her plight, a variety of creatures, including a rabbit and a duck, fly off on the back of a stork to confront Hazel. Discovering the group hiding in her magic laboratory, the witch is impressed with Sarah's courage and reverses the spell. The girl returns to normal size and to a more normal life, with a new goal of becoming Hazel's apprentice. Charming, delicate watercolor illustrations, reminiscent of the art of Lisbeth Zwerger, do much to enhance this original story, but they cannot redeem a text burdened with too many exclamation points, choppy language, and confusing transitions between events. While some clever asides lend humor to the tale, the many improbabilities (including how Sarah's father steals a pearl from a necklace without waking the witch) will baffle and distance young listeners. Collections will be better served by Brian Pinkney's more traditional Thumbelina (Greenwillow, 2003).–Carol Ann Wilson, Westfield Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

PreS. In this Belgian import that bills itself as an "International Bestseller," a small girl swallows a magic pearl that her father stole from a visiting witch. As the magic takes hold, the girl shrinks in size until she is so small that she must spend her days riding in her mother's apron pocket and bathing in a pie tin. Fortunately, the magic also enables her to talk with animals, and together with her animal friends, she hatches a successful plan to visit the witch and break the spell. The story creaks in places, but children will respond to the magic and empowering adventure. The beautiful watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are the strongest reason to consider this for purchase. In a style reminiscent of Lisbeth Zwerger's, Greban's delicate, precise lines and muted shades of parchment and sky blue create a lovable cast of characters, captivating scenes of a witch's bubbling laboratory, and aerial views of a bucolic countryside. Lovely work from an illustrator to watch. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Milk & Cookies Press (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596871792
• ISBN-13: 978-1596871793
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,132,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute New Fairytale-Esque Story for Children, November 25, 2004

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sarah So Small (Hardcover)

When Sarah's Father steals a pearl from the necklace of a powerful witch, and sticks it in a loaf of bread, he doesn't think that anything will happen. However, young Sarah swallows the pearl, and suddenly she begins shrinking in size, until she is no bigger than a mouse. However, the fact that Sarah is so small, gives her the ability to speak with animals, and that's how she devises a plan to find the witch and have the spell broken.

Fans of the best-selling THUMBELINA will adore this new, moder-day adventure that involves the shrinking of a young girl. The prose is adorable, while the illustrations truly bring the story to life. A lovely story for all those looking for a wonderful children's picture book.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper