Who Took My Hairy Toe? (Library Binding)

by Shutta Crum (Author), Katya Krenina (Illustrator) "On All Hallows' Eve, when the wind is whipping through the gap and the trees are scratching at the sky, the folks round here say..." (more)
Key Phrases: hairy toe, Old Tar Pockets

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-In the same vein as "Teeny Tiny" and "The Golden Arm," this retelling of a popular Southern folktale will delight, if not frighten, the storyhour crowd. The language begs to be read aloud, with a bit of a drawl, with just the right touch of spookiness. On All Hallows' Eve, a greedy old man steals some tar from his neighbor and puts it in his pocket. Next he is digging in his neighbor's garden and finds a big hairy toe, covered in fur. He puts that into his pocket, too, and heads home. Unfortunately for him, when he goes to retrieve his goods, he finds his hand stuck to the hardened tar that, in turn, is stuck to the digit. A creature comes looking for it, repeating the refrain, "Who took my hairy toe?" The beast ends up taking the old man along with the missing part. The muted, earthy, gouache illustrations are appropriately creepy. The dark, hairy, red-eyed ogre may be too much for the youngest readers, but the older children will love it.

DeAnn Tabuchi, San Anselmo Public Library, CA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-8. Opening with a riveting first sentence, this spine-tingling rendition of a familiar folktale recounts the "ruination" of sticky-fingered Old Tar Pockets after he digs up a monster's furry toe in his neighbor's garden one Halloween. Like Crum's language, Krenina's illustrations give the tale a country setting, and though they're not going to register as strongly on the "scream-o-meter" as the story itself (the huge russet creature with the bandaged foot seems more comical than terrifying), they do have a supportively gloomy atmosphere. Crum ends the tale with a detailed source note and an apothegm: "Just as long as what's in your pockets is yours . . . I wouldn't worry." Pair this with Arthur Robins' Teeny Tiny Woman (1998) or the Galdones' classic Tailypo (1997) for can't-miss story-time chills. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807559725
• ISBN-13: 978-0807559727
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #545,520 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars KIDS LIKE IT, PARENTS & TEACHERS WILL TOO!, October 11, 2001

By	Fred Wolven (Homestead, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

Any parent, teacher, librarian, or storyteller can use Crum's delightfully scary story and hold children in K-Gr 3 and up spellbound. A folk tale with a spooky character, a halloween-like setting, and a what-will-happen-next? situation has youngsters' rapt attention. Of course, the story must be read aloud with the appropriate annimation.

Crum, a dedicated storyteller and children's librarian, fashions a new tale from one she probably heard first as a child. In the tradition of spinning yarns, Crum -with Krenina's sparkling illustrations - breathes life into Old Tar Pockets a fascinating character who swipes a monster's hairy toe. I've heard the spontaneous reactions of children 2-5; this tale draws them in and they remember it.

Buy it, give it as a gift, but most important share it by reading it to youngsters, and they, in turn, will pass it along to friends. Crum is a talented writer with more children's books in production. I look forward to her next story.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT READ ALOUD!, September 25, 2001

By A Customer

Greedy old Tarpockets tries to steal his neighbor's sweet potatoes, but digs up a hairy toe in the process! Because he's a greedy ol' cuss, he keeps it, of course. That night, the toe's owner comes a lookin'..."Who..took...my...hairy...toe?"
Kids will love this mildly spooky, just right for storytime book, written by newcomer, Shutta Crum. She deftly uses a storytellers voice to creat this original version of an old Appalachian tale. Katya Krenina's vivedly eerie artwork is the perfect accompaniment to this haunting Halloween tale...Woooooo.