When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew

August 1, 2011

Gr 2-6-Three funny tales tell of the adventure of the Canadian folk hero Ti-Jean. He outsmarts a spoiled princess; battles wits with Bonnet Rouge, a Rumpelstiltskin-like character; and befriends local townspeople while saving his brothers and marrying a princess. Taking on a slightly different role in each story, Ti-Jean is likable and humble. The book would be an entertaining read-aloud for a classroom and a good companion piece to the study of American folktales. Andrews even encourages readers to make up their own Ti-Jean stories. Struggling readers might have a harder time reading this book independently, as there is unfamiliar vocabulary. Petričic's black-pencil drawings add to the book's appeal and playfulness. A source note gives a brief history of Ti-Jean and the origins of the tales. Quite frankly, three stories are simply not enough!-Kari Allen, National Writing Project, Plymouth State University, NH

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2011

"Il était une fois..." French Canada's version of beanstalk-climbing Jack gets a rare outing in three tales refashioned from old sources by a veteran storyteller. Preserving the lightest touch of a French inflection--"Cric, crac, / Parli, parlons, parlo. / If you won't listen, / Out you go"--Andrews sets her naïve but teachable everylad up against a trio of opponents. There is a grasping princess who tricks him out of a magic belt, moneybag and trumpet; a murderous little man who sets him on numerous impossible tasks after beating him at marbles; and a harsh seigneur who insists on chucking his intellectual daughter's suitors into the dungeon when they prove to be less clever than she. Thanks to hard work, a little magic and a winning way with the ladies, Ti-Jean ultimately comes out on top in each episode while never allowing lasting harm to come to anyone and is ever magnanimous in victory. Illustrated with frequent scribbly, lighthearted ink-and-wash scenes and vignettes, these stories read with equal ease silently or aloud and offer a winning introduction to a universal folk character. Equally charming is the source note, in which Andrews describes the origins of the tales and how she worked with them. "Sac-à-tabac, / Sac-à-tabi. / The story's ended, / C'est fini." (Folktales. 9-11)

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