Review: Cinderella Skeleton

By Robert D. San Souci; Illustrated by David Catrow

Silver Whistle/Harcourt, Inc.; 2000

Picture Book; Fantasy

Grades: 2-5

ISBN: 0-15-202003-9

Cinderella Skeleton loses more than just her shoe when she attends the Halloween Ball in a verse retelling of the classic fairy tale.

My Thoughts:
Since this is another David Catrow book, I was predisposed to like it. Luckily, I was not disappointed. The illustrations evoke a spookily twisted, and yet elegant world. For all her grotesque skeleton-ness, Cinderella is beautiful. The stepmother and stepsisters are wickedly deviant and disturbing. I loved that rather than losing her slipper, Cinderella Skeleton loses her whole lower leg! This means that in order to try on the shoe, the would-be brides must also remove their whole lower limb!

The book is written at a level that allows it to be used with older students than I normally would recommend with a picture book. It would work really well as part of a poetry or folktale unit for upper elementary. The verse is well written, and full of tongue-in-cheek double meanings. It might be over younger kid's heads, but the familiar storyline and intrigueing illustrations will allow them to follow along. (This is a good way to introduce students to new vocabulary, since the students will be able to infer meaning from context and the pictures.) The illustrations are bright and active enough for young readers, with rich details and interesting juxtapositions for older readers. It reminded me a lot of the film Corpse Bride...and I mean that in a good way.

The Thoughts of Others:
School Library Journal published a review in 2000 by Susan Hepler. Hepler loved "this darkly humorous and spooky" story as much as I did, and agreed that older elementary kids would appreciate it. She felt that the hard part would be displaying it where the older kids would find it...rather than in the picture book area.

The 2000 reviewer for Kirkus Reviews compared the book to the Tim Burton Film Nightmare Before Christmas and recommended it to fans of Burton. I can also see the similarities. The reviewer though did not feel that the work was derivative, and instead felt that it was unique enough though to stand on its own.

Review: Don't Say That Word

By Alan Katz; Illustrated by David Catrow

Margaret K. McElderberry Books; 2007; 40 pages

Picture Book; Rhyming Text

Grades: Preschool - 3rd

ISBN: 978-0-689-86971-6

Michael tells his mom about the exciting events that happened at school, while she steers him away from using offensive or crude language.

My Thoughts:
Aside from the fact that I have never met a David Catrow book that I didn't like, this is a great book, especially for boys. The text follows Michael, in rhyme, as he tells his mother about his day at school. At the end of each stanza, the rhyme scheme leads kids toward the inevitable crude word, which is never actually printed. Instead of the word, Michael's mother interrupts with the title refrain: Don't Say That Word! This format is turned on its head at the end of the book, when Michael interrupts his mother. The illustrations, brilliantly executed as always, also help lead little readers/hearers toward the appropriate "bad" word. (For example, in the stanza about boogers, Michael is picking his nose, while in the stanza about passing gas, little bubbles are popping in the bathtub.)

This is a great book for storytime...as long as you are familiar enough with the children and parents to be sure that they won't be offended. I read it aloud to the children of some friends. The little boy shouted the bad word every time, while his sister shouted the mother's refrain. I should note that some of the words in the book are not appropriate in all families. This can either offend, or open discussion. I loaned it to another friend who saw it as a good opportunity to discuss bad language with her son, and why their family didn't use certain words. So while I highly recommend this book, especially to be added to library collections, I also highly recommend parental review before handing it over to kids.

The Thoughts of Others:
School Library Journal pointed out in their review that "allowing kids to talk about 'naughty' words can remove the power associated with them."They also recognized that the author and illustrator clearly had fun putting this book together.

Publisher's Weekly also agreed with me that "readers will be able to supply each missing word with gusto (booger, fart, burp, etc.), though those a tad less daring may choose to keep silent, rather than risk voicing a 'bad word.'" They also praised the illustrations and text.