A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider

September 1, 2017

Gr 2-5-The lean, carefree verse treads lightly through events in E.B. White's life and occasionally lingers on rich, imagistic descriptions of the rural rhythms that so inspired him ("Elwyn's senses sharpened/to the ripe scent of manure, /the creak of harness leather, /the perfect shape of eggs..."). These particular moments shine and could provide useful material for poetry units on writing using the senses. Herkert presents White's life as relatively untroubled, creating a harmonious feeling that may fill some readers with peace and may lull others to sleep. Castillo's friendly ink-and-watercolor illustrations also contribute to the sense of cheerful pleasantness. Curiously, while the text does elaborate on how and why White wrote Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web, it makes no mention of The Trumpet of the Swan outside of the author's note. (The author's note also provides additional context and information on important dates, details, and awards.) VERDICT Herkert's poetry is a delight to the senses, though the overall package is on the slight side. A winsome picture book biography to pair with Melissa Sweet's Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White.-Kate Stadt, Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library, MA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 15, 2017
The story of how E.B. White came to write two of his three classic children's books. Young Elwyn White, sick in bed, befriended a mouse. Later, "on a train one night in a dream," a "dapper" mouse dressed in a hat and carrying a cane appeared to Andy (the author's nickname since his college days at Cornell). When Andy moved to Maine, "he filled his barn with stoic sheep, anxious hens, and gossiping geese. But he still had a mouse on his mind." The mouse became Stuart Little. In an old boathouse, "with a mouse for company," Andy created a story about a pig and a spider, denizens of the "high-lofted barn" he had always dreamed of. And Charlotte's Web came to be. Herkert's elegant prose and Castillo's stunning brown ink-and-watercolor illustrations team up for a magnificent model of what a picture book can be. The double-page spreads are simply gorgeous: Elwyn's nighttime neighborhood, with yellow-amber house lights under a blue sky and crescent moon; a brown-toned New York City street scene followed by the pastoral beauty of Maine; and a breathtakingly beautiful barn scene, reminiscent of Garth Williams' original Charlotte's Web but this one in glowing colors. Though White's third classic, The Trumpet of the Swan, is only mentioned in the author's note, this is some book. A stunner--radiant even. (bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-10)

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Starred review from October 9, 2017
Herkert and Castillo pay tender tribute to Elwyn White who, as E.B. White, would write three enduring books for children: Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, and The Trumpet of the Swan. In a subtle narrative structured like verse, Herkert dwells on White’s childhood, on the foundational connections he made to nature (including a mouse he secretly kept in his room), and his attentiveness to his natural surroundings: “His ears captured/ an owl’s query,/ the breeze’s beckoning,/ the scuffing of horse hooves.” Castillo uses brown ink, soft watercolors, and digital manipulation to create sturdy, nostalgic scenes of city and country to accompany the development of White’s writing and family life. Rich and rewarding. Ages 5–9. Author’s agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management.

September 1, 2017
Grades 1-3 This quiet biography begins with young Elwayn White, later known as Andy, sick in bed with a mouse as his companion. Readers then see Andy as he explores attics and barns, always observant of sights and smells. After spending dreaded days at school, he communes with his many animals and writes in his journal. While in college, a mouse with a hat and cane appears to Andy in a dream, and he regales his young relatives with tales of Stuart Little. As an adult, Andy moves his family to Maine, where he writes down Stuart's escapades, as well as stories about pigs, swans, and spiders: His stories capture the glory of nature and the comfort of hope. For those who know Charlotte or Stuart, this book, which has the feel of poetry, will fill in information about White, though the evocative text isn't balanced by any sense of whimsy. The spacious artwork, with a sturdy accent on the natural world, is lovely but also staid. Still, this gives an important glimpse into how inspiration can pop up anywhere.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)