Книга: Baum L.Frank «Wizard of Oz»

Reviews Santore's illustrations for this new edition of Baum's classic tale work on two levels. They capture the story's epic sweep in numerous colorful landscapes and dramatic tableaux, and they are models of sustained characterization. Though the paintings occasionally lapse into Saturday morning TV cartoon art, they generally evoke the many beloved scenes with verve. In contrast to a rather mundane scarecrow, Santore's cowardly lion is a splendid beast--looming over his companions, lower jaw ever a-quiver. The episodes in the Emerald City are appropriately green-tinted (the book's pages, in fact, are green in these sequences) and cleverly framed by faceted, emeraldlike borders. Unfortunately, the text is abridged, and significant sequences and characters are missing. These cuts have robbed Santore of the chance to realize fully his vision of Oz, and readers of the opportunity to enjoy the story as Baum told it. Morrow's facsimile of the first edition illustrated by W. W. Denslow and Holt's edition illustrated by Michael Hague are better versions of this enduring favorite. All ages. (Sept.) Gr 3-6-In a brief endnote, the Viennese illustrator writes of the challenge of bringing something new to this American classic. Indeed, for many, Dorothy and Judy are one and the same, and there are over 20 trade versions of the book in print (not to mention the various pop-ups and other spin-offs). Well, make room for this new edition anyway; it's a beauty. What strikes readers first is the glorious red and sophisticated design of the larger-than-life poppies on the cover. Then it's the sheen of the high-quality paper and the extravagant amount of white space. Zwerger's characters are completely original. Dorothy is diminutive and feminine with straight, cropped hair. The rotund Scarecrow is dressed in an enormous blue overcoat; his gentle visage resembles a snowman's. The Wicked Witch is depicted as a gray-blue "mountain," capped with a small head. She fills the space, and wolves stand at attention on her form. The pages are a tour de force of design, some with a single, small illustrative detail, others with figures racing across two pages. Yet, the artist's style remains subtle: there is much to learn from close inspection of posture, expression, and placement.-Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA Gr 2-8-L. Frank Baum's classic adventure fantasy receives a fine, straightforward treatment on this well-produced book-on-CD. Narrator Adams Morgan tells of Dorothy's adventures in an understated matter, and his less-is-more approach actually enhances the fantastical events occurring in the novel. Morgan does not overplay the characters, flexing his voice just a tad when speaking as the cowardly Lion, the brain-seeking Scarecrow, and the rusty Tin Man. Yet he keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, and makes the story easy to follow and compelling. Listeners only familiar with the legendary 1939 movie will have fun discovering the material not included in the film. The basic story is the same: a cyclone whisks Dorothy to Oz; her house lands on and kills a Wicked Witch; she hopes the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz will transport her back to Kansas; and she is joined on her journey to Oz by the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. In this complete version, the travelers encounter characters who are helpful (the Queen of the Field Mice, Morgan'giddiest characterization), strangely frightening (the bizarre Hammer-Heads), or surrealistic (the girl made of fine china). The Wicked Witch of the West not only sends flying monkeys to attack the heroes, but also wolves, crows, bees, and cowardly slaves called" Winkies." Some listeners may be surprised by the more violent sections of the story (the Tin Man uses his axe to decapitate foes, the Lion twists off the head of an enormous spider). This presentation may not rival Flo Gibson's classic reading of the story (Recorded Books, 1980), but does bring Baum's enthralling world to life.-Brian E. Wilson, Evanston Public Library, IL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. PreS-Gr 4-- While not precisely a picture-book version, this title features full-color illustrations on every page and a considerably shortened text. Santore's paintings are striking and they effectively mirror the familiar adventures of Dorothy and her friends. Unfortunately, the abridgment of the text is less successful. Much is made of the fact that few additions were made, leaving much of Baum's language intact. However, the deletion of some descriptive and transitional phrases and of various events creates a text that is much flatter and less engaging than the original. While the brevity and brisk tone do make the story suitable for very young listeners, the danger exists that those who have enjoyed Santore's version will never experience the magic of Baum's complete work. This concern, of course, must be weighed against the fine quality of the artwork and the fact that the book will undoubtedly prove useful in many collections. The decision to include abridged texts rests with each library. For those who do include such items, this Wizard of Oz will be a worthwhile investment. --Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Viennese illustrator and Hans Christian Andersen Medalist Lisbeth Zwerger takes a fresh look at L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz in a large-format edition. Zwerger's fantastical, delicate, eccentric illustrations bear no resemblance to the vision of the movie; they make the classic tale new again. And readers can view the Emerald City through a pair of green-tinted glasses, provided in the back of the book. K-Gr 6-Rebecca Burns narrates L. Frank Baum's classic work. Her clear voice ably brings the story to life, but she makes little attempt to differentiate between the characters and there are no sound effects. At times, Burns reads with a little too much earnestness. Children familiar only with the classic film will find the original story enlightening. While this version may not rival Flo Gibson's classic narration of the story (Recorded Books, 1980), libraries looking for a traditional reading of this title to complement abridged versions such as the Story Theater edition by Monterey Sound Works, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, will find this offering a suitable choice.-Rachel Davis, Thomas Memorial Library, Cape Elizabeth, ME Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Издательство: "Macmillan, Holtzbrink(MPS)" (2011)

ISBN: 978-0-812-52335-5