School Library Journal Review
| PreS-Gr 2 A delightful picture book, perfect for both independent reading pleasure and for telling aloud. The Little Old Lady. . . is a clever reworking of the classic story of a ghostly body that appears bit by bit (see ``What's the Matter'' in Maria Leach's Whistle in the Graveyard Viking, 1974 ). The humor of the little old lady's fearless attitude and her clever solution as to what to do with the lively shoes, pants, shirt, pumpkin head, etc., that are chasing her, will enchant young audiences. The catchy refrain never falters, and the rhythmic repeated sounds made by each of the woman's pursuers are sure to appeal to children. Lloyd's brilliantly-colored, detailed folk art-style illustrations are a perfect complement to the text. A great purchase for Halloween or any time of the year, and a must for both school and public libraries. Alice Cronin, Belleville Public Library, N.J. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
| Ages 3-6. Written in folkloric style, this is a shivery tale kids will like. A little old lady leaves her cottage, and in the forest she comes across two big shoes going ``CLOMP, CLOMP'' all by themselves. This doesn't scare the woman a whit, nor is she frightened by the pair of pants, shirt, or hat and gloves that subsequently appear in her path. A very large pumpkin head going ``BOO, BOO!'' is another matter, however, and she races home. Back in her cottage, the little old lady's natural bravery returns and, when the pumpkin head reappears, the woman has a suggestion for him. The next morning the pumpkin, now decked out in all the clothes, is a scarecrow in the field keeping away the crows. The cumulative text, with built-in sound effects, makes this a good choice for story hours. Lloyd's full-color artwork gives an atmospheric feeling and captures the sense of fun. Although this is not specifically a Halloween story, it would certainly fit into a holiday program. IC. Fear Fiction [CIP] 85-48250 |
