The Turnip [Paperback]

Walter de la Mare (Author), Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

A kind but poor farmer gains a fortune and his rich brother's envy when he grows an enormous turnip.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW said, "The lowly turnip proves far more valuable than jewels in this Grimm fairy tale. With bold, expressive paintings, Hawkes magnificently captures the parody and irony of de la Mare's unusually lyrical prose." All ages.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3--The Turnip is rooted in a favorite folktale theme: a good and generous man acts kindly to a stranger, is rewarded and prospers, whereupon his grasping, greedy half-brother tries to duplicate that result by calculation and conniving--but gets his comeuppance. Besides this ``morally correct'' plot, the book offers two additional delights. The first is de la Mare's elegant and witty prose, which nevertheless keeps the robust liveliness of the vernacular (as in a neighbor's description of the turnip as ``beyond all boiling, buttering, mashing, ingogitating and consummeration''). It's a joy to read, silently or aloud. Equally appetizing are Hawkes's amusing, colorful, and stylish pictures. Blues, greens, and reds are intense and luminous; characters' faces are gently caricatured; the borders are clever and bright. This delicious Turnip is not only a savory but also a nourishing treat for young readers with taste. --Patricia Dooley, Univ . of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: David R Godine (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567921647
• ISBN-13: 978-1567921649
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,682,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story - great illustrations!, September 6, 2007

By 

Natalie Norris "mainecoast mama" (Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Turnip (Hardcover)

The story of The Turnip , or Giant Turnip, is a fun, classic fairytale.

This version, as told by the poet Walter De la Mare, has an entertaining use of language. The story is about two brothers, one a "mean and merciless greedyguts" the other "as different from this as chalk from cheese." The two brothers, each in their own way, present a gift to the king. What shall be the outcome?

Kevin Hawkes illustrations are humorous and cheerfully colorful. The the expressions on the faces of the brothers capture their personalites completely. The text is also interspersed with small pen and ink drawings.

This book deserves a place in the library of every children's book reader and collector.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended!, August 21, 2009

By 

J. Grambo "Teacher" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Turnip (Godine Storyteller) (Hardcover)

How many adults like Grimm brothers fairy tales? I got great enjoyment out of this retelling of an old favorite. This is the story of two brothers, one greedy and sneaky, and the other kind and penniless. As always in fairy tales, good triumphs over evil. Ages 8 and up.