Tales of Wisdom & Wonder (Barefoot Collection) [Hardcover]

Hugh Lupton (Author), Niamh Sharkey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Barefoot Collection

Beautifully captured by Niamh Sharkey's quirky and perceptive illustrations, these tales have all the color and vigor of the countries and cultures they represent. At the same time, they each remind readers how vast and mysterious the world is, and how lives can be transformed by the most unexpected circumstances. Full-color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A professional storyteller, Lupton imbues each folktale in this unusual collection with the rhythm and wit of an informal orator, and delivers a nugget of truth at the close. Reflecting an impressive amount of research, he culls legends from Ireland, Russia, France, Africa and the Caribbean islands and embellishes them as a jazz musician embellishes melody (the analogy is Lupton's, and it is apt). He weaves in riffs tailored for reading aloud and prompting interaction with the listener: "Now, the farmer's wife could not keep a secret! Can you keep a secret? The farmer's wife, she could not keep a secret." Also marking an auspicious debut, artist Sharkey emphasizes the mysterious yet home-spun quality of the tales. She uses a different color scheme for each, but unifies the volume with recurring oblong box-shaped borders that run across the bottom of the pages (each tale has its own visual motif). The geometric shapes and wide eyes of Sharkey's characters may remind some readers of a cross between Lane Smith and Yumi Heo, but the composition of her work reflects her own unique style. For instance, she creates a witty counterpoint when picturing a bulbous dog in "The Peddler of Swaffham" burying his bone as his master unearths a buried treasure. Readers can only hope that this team of newcomers has more in store. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-6-Seven stories from different cultures (Haitian, Cree, English, French, West African, Russian, and Irish) are retold in this collection by a seasoned storyteller. The tellings are well paced for reading aloud, using repetitive phrasing and questions. Yet there is no sense of what binds these stories together as a collection, except that they are probably the reteller's favorites. And the storyteller's voice is so present, in fact, that the selections lack any sense of individualizing culture. The illustrations, while nicely detailed and evocative of the mood, also dissipate the cultural flavor of each tale. Although attention is paid to reproducing some details from each country, the people all have the same tiny dot eyes and no mouths, and the landscapes have a similar pale and sparse appearance. Source notes are included. As many of these stories can be found in other collections, this title does not add anything new to most general folktale sections.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901223094
• ISBN-13: 978-1901223095
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,481,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing stories for children (audio CD & book), December 7, 2009

By 

Christopher (CA., USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales of Wisdom and Wonder HC w CD (Hardcover)

Wow, my 8 year old and her other 6-9 year old carpool friends have hung on every word of these audio tales as we drive to their Waldorf school. My only complaint is that there are not more stories here (only 6 if I remember correctly). I am currently searching for more audio tapes with books that are of this caliber. We have generally listened to a single story during a drive to school (approximately 15 minutes each or so). The narrator has a mesmerizing voice and the stories are wonderfully engaging -even for me (an over-40 something working on a masters degree).

I recently remembered that there is a book that goes with the audio and threw that in the car today- they now want to hear all of the stories again while looking at the pictures!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, August 18, 2009

By 

Susannah "Susannah" (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tales of Wisdom and Wonder HC w CD (Hardcover)

We have Story Tree, which was our first Hugh Lupton cd and my 3.5 and 1.5 year olds love that one. This one they like. The stories are just long enough to keep the older kids' attention. The little one loves dancing to the short song in between each story.