Stories from Firefly Island - Hardcover

Grade 2-4-As the present-day animal inhabitants of Firefly Island avidly listen, Tortoise, the wise, old storyteller, spins ten fresh, original stories about their ancestors and times gone. Set against a colorful, vivid background, some of these well-told tales explain how the animals learned that Wild Pig is really a "likeable" creature; what happened when snow surprisingly blanketed the island; and what caused the Rizzleberry War. Tortoise ends each story with a word of wisdom from his bag of philosophical ponderings. In this charming offering, readers frequently encounter unusual, old-fashioned, out-of-the-ordinary words and phrases that add a special flavor and feeling to this poetically written, well-crafted book. The animals are not overly anthropomorphized, but are given just enough human qualities to make them believable to children. Almost decorative in nature, the small but very detailed black-and-white illustrations, rendered in the style of crosshatching, are appropriately placed throughout the text and enrich and extend the book's distinctive mood. In concept, this work is similar to the titles written by Thornton W. Burgess, such as Old Mother West Wind (Holt, 1990). But in mood and quality of writing, it is definitely on par with William Steig's Abel's Island (Farrar, 1985) and books by Dick King-Smith. From the characterizations to the imaginative story lines, from the artwork to the use of descriptive language, this is a perfect book to be read aloud or for that cozy, special, read-alone time.
April L. Judge, Jefferson Madison Regional Library, Charlottesville, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This collection of fables combines the wisdom of Aesop with the comfort and satisfaction of good storytelling. Narrated by the venerable tortoise who presides over the mythical Firefly Island, each chapter tells a different animal's story. "The Cave of the Cold Wind" explains why the bear no longer lives among the island animals but enjoys the cooler winds of the mountain tops. The star of "Brave Pig" is tricked by the other animals into becoming a humbler and kinder character. In the "Rizzleberry War" the animals learn to trust one another when a treasured tree is mysteriously stripped of its fruit. Though a moral is tucked neatly into each of the tales, the messages never overpower the narrative. Told in rhythmic lilting language, the tales are accompanied by Blathwayt's delicate line drawings. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.