Shortcut [Paperback]

David Macaulay (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Albert and his trusty mare June set off early on market day to sell their melons in town and return home before dark. Is this another insignificant day in the life of a farmer? Perhaps-but look again. This is a trip kids will want to take again and again.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

David Macaulay connects the seemingly unconnected in this playful, witty collection of overlapping stories. Young readers must listen and watch carefully in order to track one story's clues that later pop up in another story. For example, Albert and his horse June take a shortcut over the railroad tracks on their way to sell melons at the market. Because they get there so early they are able to go home sooner than planned. Three chapters later, Albert and June's efficiency leads to another character's disappointment... and even a run-in with the law. Then there's poor Professor Tweet, who runs afowl of a hot-air balloon ride. But a few chapters later we discover that Professor Tweet's misfortune has lead to another man's most excellent fortune! Macaulay's characters are thoroughly engaging, such as the horse June, who wears curlers in her mane and likes to kick back in front of the TV. Many know Macaulay as the master of pen-and-ink detail, but here he proves himself as a versatile color artist, offering a richly blended palette and unusual visual perspectives. A funny, child-friendly shortcut into the study of cause and effect. (Ages 5 and older) --Gail Hudson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Nine brief chapters energetically telegraph seemingly disparate adventures. "The illustrations make a perfect marriage of comedy and chaos," said PW in a starred review. All ages. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618006079
• ISBN-13: 978-0618006076
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #593,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #97 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Ages 4-8 > Picture Books

More About the Author

David Macaulay is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books have sold millions of copies in the United States alone, and his work has been translated into a dozen languages. Macaulay has garnered numerous awards including the Caldecott Medal and Honor Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Christopher Award, an American Institute of Architects Medal, and the Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award. In 2006, he was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, given "to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations." Superb design, magnificent illustrations, and clearly presented information distinguish all of his books. David Macaulay lives with his family in Vermont.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This "Shortcut" is cut into shorts, July 8, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shortcut (Library Binding)

Following up his success with the eclectic and Caldecott award winning, "Black and White", from 1990, author David Macaulay decided to write another multiple narrative infused picture book. If you've read "Black and White", you may remember how this kind of story works. Characters from different tales affect one another's lives and the reader has the joy of seeing how an action on the part of one person creates chaos or delight on the parts of others. The result is a meticulously crafted series of delicate vignettes, perfectly suited for the child reader. This is basically the equivalent of picture book jazz. And it works.

There are eight major players in this tale (two of whom are non-human) and Macaulay has presented a helpful chart of each and every one at the beginning of the book. When it begins, an older gentleman named Albert is going with his horse June to the town for market day. On the way there, and unbeknownst to him, he inadvertently affects every other character's life. Because of Albert, Professor Tweet loses control of his hot air balloon and unwittingly saves Clarinda's escaped cockatoo. Because of June, Patty must search for her pet pig Pearl. Then there are the stories of the Sybil (a dead ringer for the little old lady from Pasadena) and Bob, the unwitting deep sea diver.

Even as I looked through the pictures a third and fourth time, I still was able to locate clever little thoughts and details that I hadn't noticed before. The narrative in this story jumps between each character rapidly, sometimes double backing to clarify a situation or storyline. Probably this book will do best with those kids that are endowed with a little bit of patience. I can see this story striking some as being incredibly frustrating. After all, if you don't realize that each story is affected by every other story, a first read through is going to strike the child reader as disjointed and awkward. If they manage to grab ahold of the tale and get into it, however, they'll be enjoying a whole new kind of picture book. This is the kind of book that will prepare its younger readers for future books with eclectic narratives. For the kid that's still reading picture books but has a mind that likes clever details and stories, this might just be the perfect choice.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adults like this as much as the kids, August 1, 2002

By 

Christoher Hope (Kansas City, MO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shortcut (Paperback)

I have been reading this book aloud to small groups of children for about three years. And every time I pull it out, I discover yet another clue, hiding in plain sight in the illustrations. The story starts deceptively simple: Arnold and his horse June take their melons to market. But soon, more characters enter, and my young audience (and older listeners) is challenged to keep them all straight. Because the actions of one, always have consequences for someone else. (Is this life, or what?) But you have to look closely at the pictures, because most of the real story is there. (And seeing June, with her horse shoes off, her feet up, and her mane in curlers, is priceless) ENJOY.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shortcut to fun, January 19, 2001

By 

Michael Settlage (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shortcut (Library Binding)

The book Shortcut provides an exciting, humourous read for both children and adults. Seemingly unrelated events contained within nine short chapters are shown to affect each others outcomes. Even after 3 readings of Shortcut with my 5 year old son, we continue to joyfully discover the connections between events. Shortcut is a fun book for an inquisitive child and the reader.