Trudi & Pia (Anne Schwartz Books) [Hardcover]

Ursula Hegi (Author), Giselle Potter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2003 | Series: Anne Schwartz Books

Many nights the dwarf girl, Trudi, fell asleep hoping that her body would stretch itself overnight, that she'd wake up and be the size of other girls her age.

Trudi doesn't know anybody like her. No one with short arms that can't reach coat hooks, or short legs that dangle in chairs; no one small enough to look into her eyes.

No one, that is, until she meets Pia at the circus. Pia is a lion tamer -- strong and fearless and, most important, a dwarf like Trudi. When Pia asks for a volunteer to step into the ring, Trudi doesn't hesitate. And together, they weave tales of a magical island where people are little and never lonely. After the enchantment ends, Pia shares a secret with Trudi: Feeling that you belong starts with loving yourself.

Adapted from Ursula Hegi's best-selling novel Stones from the River -- and perfectly paired with Giselle Potter's poignant illustrations -- this moving story of a girl's search for acceptance captures what it feels like to be different...and then what it feels like to realize that you're not.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-Trudi, a dwarf, feels lonely and isolated. She dreams of growing and during the day tries to stretch herself by hanging from door frames and tree limbs. At the circus, she meets Pia, an animal tamer and a dwarf like herself. She volunteers to join her new friend in the ring, and together they tell a story about a wonderful, magical island where only little people live. When Trudi visits the woman in her trailer, Pia talks to her about feeling linked to all the other dwarfs scattered throughout the world, and gives her some practical advice for dealing with the people who surround her. Adapted from Hegi's adult novel Stones from the River (Scribner, 1995), the story is well written and contains some dramatically effective imagery. Hegi creates a great deal of empathy for her characters, marred slightly by the fact that they in turn mock the "big" people: "To Pia, long arms were ugly, long legs unsteady. Tall people looked odd, too far from the ground." It is also unfortunate that the only other dwarf Trudi encounters is a circus performer, reinforcing an old stereotype of where people with non-mainstream physical traits end up. For the most part, however, this sensitive story deals with a subject not frequently found in books for this audience. Potter's signature gouache illustrations have their usual quirky appeal and blend well with the tale.
Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. In this story with a clear theme, the dwarf Trudi gains hope for her future when she meets another little person, Pia, for the first time. She encounters Pia, who is a lion tamer, at the circus. Later, in Pia's trailer, Trudi talks about her loneliness and her dreams and asks to accompany the older Pia on her travels. Pia hesitates, telling Trudi, "If you ever want to ask me questions, send them to the stars. They'll find me." With such an abstract sentiment, more narrative than many picture books, and a slightly abrupt ending, the story feels like the adaptation it is, a version inspired by Hegi's novel for adults, Stones from the River, a 1997 Oprah's Book Club selection. Potter's sparkling gouache illustrations, however, infuse the book with charm, creating a colorful circus setting and an intriguing trailer for Pia, with furniture tailored to her size. In her deliberately awkward, off-kilter renderings of human figures, Potter expresses not only Trudi's feelings about her appearance but also a subtle message about how other people see themselves as well. Kathleen Odean
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books; First Edition edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689846835
• ISBN-13: 978-0689846830
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #834,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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