Well-told folktales are in short supply these days. So it's a happy occasion when one appears that's geared to beginning readers.
Never Trust a Tiger is a Korean folktale that answers the age-old chestnut: Can a leopard change its spots? Only in this case it's a tiger's stripes. And the answer? Apparently not.
Told in six short chapters, the story begins with the tiger trapped in a pit. A passing merchant helps him out and the tiger repays the kindness by pouncing on the man and opening his jaws to devour him. The merchant protests, arguing that his good deed should be rewarded. The pair agree to let others be the judge. If the merchant is correct, the tiger will free him. If the tiger is right, GULP.
An ox votes in favor for the tiger. A pine tree gives the nod to the merchant. Then a hare happens along and it is she who will decide the merchant's fate. Pretending not to understand the predicament, she tricks the tiger into showing her what happened. The tiger jumps back in the pit and.... Well, do I have to spell it out?
The tale is cleverly told, with one chapter leading seamlessly to the next, and the bold illustrations are done in an appropriately primitive style. Beginning readers craving more can also check out The Tortoise's Gift: A Story from Zambia, the first book in the series.
Never Trust a Tiger: A Story from Korea
Retold by Lari Dan
Illustrations by Melanie Williamson
Barefoot Books, 48 pages
Published: September, 2012
I was sad to hear that my new friend and fellow illustrator, Cassia Thomas, is imminently deserting The North and disappearing Down South. Shame on her!
Actually there are perfectly good reasons, which is why friends forgave her sufficiently to get together in Manchester this week, partly because we fancied supping some mulled wine and pottering through the markets, but also as a kind of send-off.
Though the others were all fresh-faced, disgustingly young, up-and-coming writers and illustrators, they were polite enough to affect not to notice the old bird nudging her way in, and a good time was had by all.
As you can see, we made the obigatory stop at Waterstones and signed our stock. This is Melanie Williamson who is moving in the opposite direction to Cassia, and has already got herself studio space in Manchester (is this part of some kind of Cosmic Illustrator Balance?).
These sketches, by the way, are those I did on the train, on the way there and back. It takes an hour, without too many stops, so is ideal.
Good luck with the move Cassia (get on with that packing missus!) and don't be a stranger. x
I wasn't sure what to wear for the
Hachette party on Wednesday, but in the end I decided to dress up (there are not enough opportunities these days), so I wore my red, spotty, dancing dress (several people said I looked like a ladybird). No heels though - far too many hours of standing!
I felt a bit over-dressed getting on the train at 11am though, and wouldn't you just know it: I was sitting opposite a nun. She had wonderful buck-teeth, so I just had to draw her. I found out she was 69, but still the youngest one in her community, when she got into conversation with the man below, by coincidence, someone big in the C of E:
As last year, we were in the Century Club on Shaftesbury Ave. There is a room at the top called the Roof Terrace, which is indeed on the roof (there is a large chimney stack poking up from the floor) but it's under a marquee-like cover, so very civilised and remarkably cosy.
At one end of the room there is a little grotto of plants in tubs, and what I thought was a water feature: a little waterfall tumbling down into one of the bigger pots. then I realised it was rain pouring in off the edge of tarp!
Things were already in full swing when I arrived. It was lovely catching up with people. Amongst many others, I met up with
Cassia Thomas and
Saviour Pirotta in the flesh, instead off on Facebook, and got very over-excited with
Melanie Williamson (one of the few people I've met who's more hyper than me!)
These parties are a great way for we isolated arty-folk get to make new author & illustrator friends, and this year I discovered the lovely
Sam McCullen of
Billy Back to Front fame. We made a bit of an amusing couple in conversation though, as Sam is as tall as I am short: I more or less came up to his belly button!
When they threw us out of the club at 5.00, the hard-core, party types transferred to a local pub (after some confused toing and froing in the rain, trying to work out which pub we were meant to be in).
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When you’re looking for a quick bedtime read for a tired little one, John Foster’s broad and gentle selection Drift Upon a Dream: Poems for Sleepy Babies (Oxford University Press, 2002) offers delightful possibilities. Alongside encouragement from Melanie Williamson’s charming illlustrations, which progress through the book from sunset oranges and pinks to deepest night-time blues, soporific poems will lull small children to sleep and sweet dreams.
There are a few traditional poems - including the African-American “Hush, Little Baby, Don’t Say a Word” and a beautiful African lullaby - and right in the middle is the wonderfully atmospheric “Cradle Song” by the inspirational Sarojini Naidu:
From groves of spice
O’er fields of rice
Athwart the lotus stream
I bring for you
Aglint with dew
A little lovely dream…
(and you can read the whole poem here)
I love getting my tongue round those slightly archaic words (”Slightly?!?” I hear some of you cry!) - what about you, how do you feel about reading poetry, or indeed prose, like this to children?
Hi Lynne! Your artwork is so delightful and it is inspiring to "meet" an illustrator who has had such great success in the childrens book world. Thanks for dropping by my blog.
Thank you Susan! Love your wildlife paintings - so rich.
I like the 'cosmic balance' idea! Old bird? I think you're younger than me and I'm only just starting out!xx
I can confirm there were no old birds in sight! Lovely post! And really hope you've started packing now Cassia!x
Hi Lynne, Just want to say that we're inheriting Cassia! Isn't that great. Looking forward to welcoming her into our southern illustrators group, based in the Guildford area. Love your work by the way, always makes me laugh. Have to dash, paint brush in mouth and canvas drying rapidly....
Thanks Geni. Look after her for us!
What a wonderful drawing with that fantastic removal van!
Thanks Tomas - it's from one of my very first picture books, about a little mouse who doesn't want to move house.