Whuppity Stoorie (Library Binding)

~ John Warren Stewig (Author), Preston McDaniels (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3--A poor "goodwife," deserted by her husband and left with a baby to care for, hopes for a good litter of piglets. When her sow becomes deathly ill, she foolishly promises "anything your ladyship likes" to an old woman who says she can cure the animal. After the healing is complete, the stranger reveals that she is a fairy, and insists on taking young Robert unless his mother can guess her name before three days pass. At first distraught, the goodwife overhears the fairy's name while walking through the woods and sends her packing when she comes to claim the child. Stewig includes extensive notes on the history of this Scottish variant of "Rumpelstiltskin" and the ways in which he has adapted it. Unfortunately, the book is marred by the choice of an archaic-style font that may add atmosphere but would be difficult if not impossible for emergent readers to decipher, particularly as many of the words (dinna, ahind, etc.) will also be unfamiliar. McDaniels's watercolor illustrations, with their pale colors and humorous cartoon scenes, are at odds with the predominately darker aspects of the story. Carolyn White's Whuppity Stoorie(Putnam, 1997; o.p.) is a more readable and visually appealing version of this tale.--Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. Rendered in a Scottish lilt that's enjoyable to read out loud (once one has mastered the old-style font), this Rumplestiltskin-like picture book for older readers is set in the town of Kittlerumpit. A young widow asks an old woman for help with the ailing sow that's her only means of support. She promises "anything your ladyship likes," not suspecting she's dealing with a fairy who covets her sweet son. The mother is told to guess the fairy' s name or lose her son forever. To ease her mind, the mother takes a walk and happens to overhear the fairy crowing over her certain victory. Enjoying her secret knowledge, the young widow later guesses a few names, which are sure to amuse young listeners, and then declares she's "not fit to tie the shoestring o' the high and mighty princess Whuppity Stoorie!" Whuppity runs away, "like an owl chasing with the witches." McDaniels' flowing, earth-toned illustrations nicely complement the playful turns of the language, which includes Scottish words and phrases that are usually accessible even if children aren't familiar with them. Stewig discusses his use and alterations of earlier versions of the Whuppity Stoorie tale in an author's note. Abby Nolan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1 edition (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823417492
• ISBN-13: 978-0823417490
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,902,022 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic folk story of trust and courage, May 14, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Preston McDaniels has illustrated many other children's books, and kids with good reading skills will appreciate John Stewig's retelling of the classic Whuppity Stoorie, paired with McDaniels' fine drawings. A poor goodwife trusts a mysterious witch to cure her ailing sow and finds herself in a struggle for her greatest treasure in this classic folk story of trust and courage.

4.0 out of 5 stars Promote Scots!, July 18, 2004

By A Customer

One of the reasons Scots is dying as a language is because of reviews like the one above. While no doubt Scots words will be difficult for young readers who are just learning to read English, they should not be dissuaded from tasting the vocabulary of another culture. I recommend this book both for its use of rich language and its well-documented retelling of a classic Scottish story.