Customer Reviews

Solomon the Rusty Nail (Michael Di Capua Books)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a great book for kids. Mine loved this book along with all of Steig's books. He is (was) one of the last few authors who actually gave kids the credit they deserved for being strong, interesting, imaginative beings. This story is quirky and hilarious--a nail? A rusty nail? that's what you can turn into? I mean, why not? This is no pandering, "talk down to kiddies" book. By all means read this one and all of Steig's books (as well as Roald Dahl's) to your children. You will love their odd humor and fresh voice too.

Yes, it all turns out okay in the end, as frightening stories so often do, but this well-illustrated book is too scary for your little ones. Solomon, the bunny, can turn himself into a rusty nail. It's a nice enough idea, but alas the author has Solomon chased by an evil cat with a long knife, who wants to eat Solomon for dinner. Solomon turns into a nail, but is picked up and imprisoned by the vicious cat. Poor Solomon is held in captivity for weeks, as the cat and his wife long to devour him. Finally, the cat pounds the nail--Solomon--into the wall of his house. Only when the cat's home burns to the ground is Solomon free to return to his distraught family. I suppose it's a happy ending of sorts, but this isn't the kind of story I want to tell my preschooler.

This is a good rabbit story. It's easy to read, and our children love it.