The Sign Painter's Dream: (Reading Rainbow Book) [Hardcover]

Roger Roth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 4, 1995

A spunky old woman's request and a rather unusual dream convince Crabby Clarence the sign painter to make the most glorious and magnificent sign of his career and then give it away.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A dream about his hero George Washington reforms a crabby sign painter; PW called this "a gentle charmer," adding, "Roth imbues these zestful and believable characters with an infectious spirit all their own." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Clarence the sign maker is crabby, and the only time he smiles is when he goes home at the end of the day to read his history books. When a woman appears in his shop and asks for a free sign to tell people that she has " 'free apples if you need 'em,' " he refuses. That night, in a dream, he is a sign painter in Revolutionary America, and his hero, George Washington, makes a similar request (only this time, the sign is to say " 'SEND SHOES TO VALLEY FORGE!' "). In a quick turnaround, Clarence becomes the generous hero, makes a grand and glorious sign for the apple lady, and basically lives happily ever after. Historical fantasy and contemporary dilemmas are cleverly interwoven, and the plot is moved forward by snappy 1990s dialogue. Best of all are the lively characters portrayed in the watercolors. "Crabby Clarence" is undoubtedly cranky, as revealed by the glint in his eye, the set of his mouth, and every angle of his body. Pages are full of humorous detail: in Clarence's dream, he's laboring over a sign for "Ye Olde Bologna," and even the pets are empathetic. Double-paged spreads emphasize the scale of the sign-painter's work. Here's a book that strikes the theme of generosity and does it with irresistible good humor. Great for read-alouds and independent reading. --Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Dragonfly Books (July 4, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517885417
• ISBN-13: 978-0517885413
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 9.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,738,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Inspiration, September 24, 2000

By 

Donald Richard Byrne (Cheshire, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sign Painter's Dream (Hardcover)

A crabby painter reads a historical book as he falls asleep and George Washington visits his dream. Washington inspires the painter to put "yankee inginuity" back into his personal and business life. Wonderful Illustrations and a new spin for American history or elementary school teachers for February!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this is a great book--a family favorite., August 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sign Painter's Dream: (Reading Rainbow Book) (Hardcover)

The Sign Painter's Dream is a family favorite. We love the story and the illustrations. Also, it was a thrill to see this book featured on the Reading Rainbow!