From Publishers Weekly
McEwan's version of the classic tale is not only graphically arresting, it's fairly true to Collodi's original serial. Without sentimentality, the wildly inventive story of the bad boy turned good has been retold in simple, readable language. Though the book generally employs traditional format--with illustrations that occupy most of the page and few lines of text--many pages of its unusual layout contain dauntingly large amounts of copy. Reminiscent of Japanese cartoon art of the 1960s, McEwan's illustrations are eye-catching and imaginative. His least complicated drawings and those that decorate the borders of each page are the most appealing, as others tend to be crammed with so many colorful elements that specifics are hard to discern. And, though they have little to do with Pinocchio, the book's gorgeous, tricolored endpapers are a compelling invitation to the visual delights within. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-- If anyone believed that the varied adventures of Pinocchio could be successfully condensed into a picture book, this edition will quickly dispel that notion. Everything that happens to Pinocchio in other versions is included here; events are distilled into one or two sentences, making an already complex story almost impossible to follow. Characters pop in and out at will, and there is no distinction made as to their importance, either to the plot or to Pinocchio. Busy, full-color illustrations--with as many as four frames per page--increase the frenetic pace of the narrative. These garishly colored cartoonlike pictures are filled with details. The evil Showman who hires Pinocchio for his puppet theater is depicted as a threatening, nonhuman creature who could be from another planet. There are at least 20 editions of this ever-popular tale currently in print, ranging from the complete adventures (Unicorn, 1986) to abridged and "easy reader" texts of selected chapters. Libraries fortunate enough to have either The Adventures of Pinocchio (Rand McNally, 1982; o.p.), retold by Neil Morris and illustrated by Frank Baber, or the special Macmillan edition (1969; o.p.), translated by Carol Della Chiesa and illustrated by Attilio Mussino, certainly would have no use for this one. Many other texts do justice to this classic, and are more harmoniously illustrated. --Martha Rosen, Edgewood School, Scarsdale, NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
