Hank and Gertie

June 15, 2018
A new twist on an old favorite takes readers along the Oregon Trail.It's just a hop, skip, and a jump from Hansel and Gretel's forest in Germany to the lonely high deserts of Oregon and Idaho. Here, siblings Hank and Gertie wander too far from their wagon train only to discover a cabin made of rock candy and licorice. The witch inside immediately imprisons Gertie and feeds Hank past satiety, meaning it's up to the girl's quick brain, applying what she's learned on the trail, to save both herself and her brother. Kimmel proves yet again that folk- and fairy tales still make for great picture-book fodder. Eschewing Western vernacular, he tells his tale straight, albeit with some startling details (the witch takes a page out of Baba Yaga's playbook, traveling by kettle). Serviceable, sometimes-awkward, flat images accompany the text, occasionally surprising readers with understated details (as when the wagon train loads up the candy from the cabin at the end). The illustrations shine when displaying the magnificent array of foods--duff pudding with maple cream sauce, fried chicken, hoecakes, and more--that disappear down Hank's gullet. Hank, Gertie, and their mother are white, and no mention is made of American Indians, though the villain's darker skin, fringed buckskin jacket, and moccasins are entirely avoidable choices that play into stereotypes.Spotty visuals drag down a lively text. (Picture book. 4-7)

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August 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-The familiar Grimm tale has been recast in a Western setting. Here, renamed siblings Hank and Gertie leave their mother to explore the countryside while the wagon train stops by a stream for lunch. Predictably, the children become lost when birds eat the bread crumbs they leave to find their way back. Soon the children meet Aunt Caroline while munching on her candy cabin. Of course, Aunt Caroline is actually a witch (Western style; plus she travels in a flying kettle). The old girl quickly begins to fatten up Hank for her barbecue while Gertie toils in the corral. Gertie tricks the witch into demonstrating her shape-changing skills, she changes into a rattlesnake that gets gobbled up by a coyote (a former boulder). Illustrations in muted colors and broad forms appear to be digital collage. They suggest the setting and provide additional details about Hank's diet and Aunt Caroline and her outfit. A concluding note from prolific reteller Kimmel briefly discusses folktale traditions and the Oregon Trail setting. VERDICT This version somewhat softens the harshness of the original tale but the specificity of the setting and various additions make it less broadly appealing.-Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library

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