Rattlestiltskin

February 1, 2016
Kimmel's Southwestern take on "Rumpelstiltskin" kicks off when the protagonist's mother brags of her gifted daughter to all her friends. The richest man in town, Don Ignacio, overhears that Rosalia's tortillas "are so light, they float like clouds" and orders her to whip up a batch. Green, goblinlike Rattlestiltskin pops out of the oven and proposes a deal: she will get light-as-air tortillas in return for anything he asks. Instead of taking this opportunity to further digress from Grimm and empower his protagonist, Kimmel reinforces gender-specific stereotypes. Don Ignacio offers Rosalia the job of making tortillas for him and his friends for the rest of her life while living in his hacienda and wearing pretty clothes; she eagerly accepts. Rattlestiltskin ruins this questionably idyllic situation by demanding his due: servitude to Rattlestiltskin. Making yet another ill-advised decision, Rosalia takes off across the desert, with no hat or water, to avoid her fate. The story's language is lackluster, and too many of the Spanish phrases are awkwardly or inappropriately used. For instance, "Aguas!" ("watch out") is used incorrectly as a threat, not as a warning of imminent danger. As for Camarca's colored-pencil illustrations, with the exception of Rattlestiltskin and his snazzy outfit, the female characters and scenery have a coloring-book quality, detracting from rather than enhancing the narrative. This adaptation is uneven, fluctuating between clever--the story's title--and pedestrian--the tale itself. (Picture book. 5-9)

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April 1, 2016

K-Gr 3-Kimmel retells "Rumpelstiltskin" with a Southwestern bent. Rosalia must prove she makes tortillas "so light and fluffy they float," in an effort to prove to the town's wealthiest resident that her mother's boasts about her are true. Convinced she has been set up for failure, she's saved at the last moment by the sudden appearance of a little green man dressed in a rattlesnake suit, who whispers to her the secret to floating tortillas. In exchange, she promises to do anything he asks-a promise Rosalia quickly forgets as she begins her new life of luxury, living in the vast hacienda and making the best tortillas in the world. Life is grand for the tortilla maker and her family, until the strange man comes back to collect on his promise. True to the original tale, Rosalia has three chances to get out of this deal by guessing his name. Stretching three chances into nine, Rosalia needs one more stroke of luck to get out of the agreement she made that long ago day. This tale stands on its own while paying homage to the original and includes Spanish words throughout the text. Colored-pencil drawings by first-time illustrator Camarca invoke the traditional Southwestern landscape and dress and complement the story well. VERDICT An enjoyable play on an old favorite that will be a sound addition to most picture book collections.-Lindsay Jensen, Nashville Public Library

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