The Mighty Asparagus

Move over enormous turnips and gigantic carrots! Now, it's the mighty asparagus that outwits a regal king, an imperious queen, a multitude of advisors, the bravest of knights, a prissy princess, and even a rhinoceros. Just what creature will provide the critical weight to uproot this vegetable? Listen and ponder Radunsky's illustrations if you have the book in hand. Narrator Kevin R. Free is as curious and full of "amazing" remarks as each character. He sweeps into this farcical fantasy world and is full of exaggeration. His slow pacing leaves time to appreciate the asides and the notion that "even the smallest effort counts." A.R. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

May 10, 2004
In Radunsky's (Mannekin Pis
) gleefully subversive retelling of the Russian folktale "The Turnip," he spoofs Renaissance paintings for his illustrations and changes the locale to an Italianate royal family's court. To the horror of the macho king, a huge, indubitably phallic asparagus stalk pops up in his yard, dominating the palace (and the spreads): "Oh, I hate that stinky asparagus!" he cries. The queen and blushing princess, however, gaze longingly at the enormous vegetable (the princess squeals, "Give it to me now! I want to gobble it up!"; "Funny, I thought that children hated asparagus," the narrator slyly comments). The wink-wink, nudge-nudge jokes to the adults threaten to overwhelm the early pages, but the author/ artist eventually wrestles the satire back on track. Ever the iconoclast, Radunsky raids Italian masterpieces and apologizes to their artists in an arch dedication ("thank you and sorry"). The bumbling king, in his crimson hat and cape, comes from Piero della Francesca, for example, while his imperious advisers are lifted from Andrea Mantegna. Radunsky distorts the characters' haughty faces into Terry Gilliam-esque gooniness, showing readers that museum art (like legendary turnips and asparagus) can withstand a healthy satirical tweaking or two. Ages 5-9.