Story of a Boy Named Will, Who Went Sliding Down the Hill [Library Binding]

D. Kharms (Author), V. Radunsky (Illustrator), Jamey Gambrell (Translator)

Book Description

As he sleds swiftly down the hill, a boy runs into a hunter, a dog, a fox, a hare, and a bear.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-At first glance, this translation of a Russian tongue twister has much to offer. With cover art reminiscent of something Lane Smith might do, and a flap description that promises great rhythm in the text, it shows potential. Unfortunately, the promise is never delivered. The tale chronicles Will's journey down the hill. As the boy rides along, he crashes into a hunter and a variety of woodland creatures. Each bled double-page spread creates a sense of busyness that is appropriate to the story's fast pace. Text only appears on every other spread, leaving the art on the wordless pages to communicate the action. Some of these illustrations are more frightening than fun, as the animals and people have eyes that seem to bug out of their heads. The text follows the formula for cumulative rhyming tales, adding a character to each stanza, but does not read rhythmically, most likely because poetry is so difficult to translate successfully. The story ends with a statement that since this ride (which ends in a collision with a bear), Willie has given up sledding. For successful cumulative tales, stick with John Burningham's Mr. Gumpy's Outing (Holt, 1971) or Audrey Wood's The Napping House (Harcourt, 1984).
Lynn Cockett, Nutley Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

From a Russian (1905-41) who began to write for children when, in the 1930's, his avant-garde adult poetry couldn't be published (and who died a political prisoner): a deceptively simple cumulative tale about a boy whose sled runs, one by one, into a hunter, a dog, a fox, and a hare, carrying them all together until they smash into a bear. ``And since then,/I've heard it said,/Willie never/rides his sled.'' Radunsky (illustrator of Marshak's The Pup Grew Up!, 1989) profiles the action, close up in the picture plane, on a cloud of windblown snow. First seen as a thoughtful lad gazing skyward, Will encounters the stolid hunter head-on, landing beneath him; the headlong journey spins ever more out of control as it hurtles on a collision course toward the big red bear. The dynamic action will intrigue little children, but this fable will most interest those old enough to appreciate the subtext and the powerful art. (Picture book. 3+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 25 pages
• Publisher: North-South (July 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558582150
• ISBN-13: 978-1558582156
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,247,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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