Opposites really do attract in this sunny picture book set in the West Indies. Miss Tiny, a strapping woman with a large booming voice, is an ironic contrast to her name. With a friendly smile, she buzzes about the green and rocky island offering to help the men dig, build and harvest. In the process, she makes the working men feel weak-leaving her without a mate of her own. But a skinny, bespectacled newcomer, who happens to be a bit deaf, proves just the antidote to Miss Tiny's lack of romance. Mr. Bigman is man enough to both accept and appreciate Miss Tiny's help and the two are soon "smiling together before the preacher." Befitting the larger-than-life Tiny, Gershator's (When It Starts to Snow) text has a boisterous tone that is nearly audible. And in a playful, never preachy turn, Tiny and Bigman's union blasts the gender stereotypes on the island (and in society in general). Bits of local dialect add freshness to the tale. With her bold and cheery watercolors, streaked in bright and fruity hues, Cravath (A My Name Is...) instantly whisks readers to the Caribbean. Red tin roofs, lime-green foliage and a cerulean blue sky evoke the sun-drenched, breezy days of the islands. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-A modern tall tale set in the West Indies. Tiny, the larger-than-life heroine, makes all of the men uncomfortable with her amazing feats. She moves boulders, chops sugarcane, and shovels dirt for one struggling man after another. "You'd think that man would be grateful and grab Miss Tiny and kiss, kiss, kiss her on her soft brown cheek. Noooo. He'd grumble and mumble a whispery `Thanks.'" Then, along comes Mr. Bigman, a skinny little man "so weak he could barely move a stone." He has other strengths, though, and he isn't intimidated by strong women. When the two meet, she helps him build his house, he cooks for her, and soon they are married. When a hurricane comes along, Tiny holds their house together and their baby is later born under a dry roof. Cravath's brightly colored watercolors are full of motion and detail that will catch children's attention, and Tiny fills the pages with energy as she towers over the men. The bright illustrations, large trim size, and funny story make the tale ideal for storytimes. An enjoyable yarn.
Amy Lilien-Harper, Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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