REVIEWS follow in alphabetical order (scroll down to read all about The Impudent Rooster). They include:
MAGAZINES: Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, The Five Owls
NEWSPAPERS: Chicago Tribune, Contra Costa Times (CA), Hickory Ridge Reader (VA), Portland Maine Herald, San Diego Union-Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle
ONLINE: Planet Esme, Children's Literature
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BOOKLIST
Adapting her tale from a Romanian story by Ion Creanga, Rascol tells about a small, brave rooster, driven from the farmyard, who grows powerful as he defeats an evil nobleman and brings riches back home to the poor farmer. The greedy nobleman tries everything to get rid of the pesky upstart. He throws the rooster down a well, but the rooster drinks all the water and flies out. He tosses the bird in a fiery oven, but the rooster spews out all the water he drank and puts out the flames. The rooster swallows coins, and he swallows the barnyard animals. Finally, he brings everything home to make the poor farmer rich. The standoffs, chases, and the refrain ("What could the rooster do?") are great for storytellers, and the clear, dramatic, very bright pictures in folk-art style, showing the small creature swelling up until he fills the double-page spread, can be used with a small group. Children will appreciate the farmyard farce about the small, noisy creature who refuses to be intimidated in a giant world. - Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association 2004
BULLETIN FOR THE CENTER OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
A poor man has only his rooster for solace, but after hunger drives the man to scold his avian companion, the ever-loyal rooster takes to the road to seek sustr nance for his master. Under some fallen leaves the rooster finds "a bright little purse with a few pennies in it" and joyfully turns home, knowing his master will be able to buy food. Alas, it is not to be--a wicked nobleman steals the purse, "happy to have added even those few pennies to his enormous wealth." The rooster, however, will not be thwarted; he follows the nobleman, demanding the return of the pennies: "Cucurigu, my great lord! Give back the pennies you stole!" The nobleman tries everything from throwing the rooster into a well to drown to tossing him into a herd of cattle to be trampled, but the rooster conquers all. Beaten, the nobleman returns the purse to the rooster (now gargantuan from having eaten the contents of the nobleman's money room and pasture), who brings to his master not only the pennies but also the nobleman's ill-gotten wealth. Rascol sources her retelling in an original story by Romanian writer Ion Creanga, but folktale enthusiasts will recognize its folkloric roots. The retelling here is both funny and fast; the language is emphatic and lively, and the often conversational, sometimes interrogative tone invites participation by a listening audience. Berry's illustrations draw on the elaborate folk-art motifs of Eastern Europe, and the compositional focus is sometimes lost in the busy and intricate design; audiences will nonetheless warm to the glowing palette of reds and golds and the Modernist echoes in the shaded edges of the plumply rounded landscapes, and they'll relish the festive image of the indomitable rooster. If Ambrus Little Cockerel (BCCB 3/69) has long fled the shelves (or even if it hasn't), add this title for a rousing and satisfying storytime or readaloud. Cucurigu! - JMD
Copyright © The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 2004
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
This Romanian story might remind you of "Puss in Boots," but the ending isn't about princesses or kingdoms. The central characters are elderly, poor neighbors. His only possession is a rooster he loves dearly; his neighbor has hens she treats badly, and she won't share eggs with her neighbor. Weak from hunger, the old man snappishly berates his rooster for not laying eggs. Saddened, the rooster takes off. Soon he finds a purse filled with coins, which a greedy nobleman tries to steal from him. And so it goes, with the nobleman always thinking he can get the better of the poor rooster, and the rooster always getting to this point: "What could the rooster do?" Impudence here means always doing something instead of nothing. Soon, after some tall-tale eating feats, the rooster is bigger than the castle and strutting home to his beloved master, with livestock and gold aplenty. - Mary Harris Russell
Copyright © Chigago Tribune 2004
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
A poor old man who has always loved his rooster finally snaps at him in his hunger. The depressed rooster spots a purse with some money inside and hopes that this will help his master. But a mean, greedy nobleman has his coachman take the purse away. Angry, the rooster pursues the coach, loudly crowing and demanding "Give back the pennies you stole!" The nobleman tries having the rooster drowned, burned, even trampled. Each time the rooster swallows his way out, continues to crow and make his demand, growing larger as he goes. He finally manages to take the purse back to his delighted master, leaving the nobleman to his just desserts, for a rich happy ending. Watercolors and pencils create a folksy Eastern European setting for this "classic" story. A double-page picture map gives us a sense of the countryside with the several sites of action. The rooster's adventures are depicted in a decorative fashion, even to his multicolored feathers. The illustrations are crowded with local details such as dishes and fabrics decorated with folk-art patterns along with humor. A brief introductory note fills in the background of the tale. - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz.
© Copyright June 2004 Children's Literature
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
"The Impudent Rooster," by Sabina I. Rascol, from a Romanian story by Ion Creanga, illustrated by Holly Berry (Dutton Children's Books, $16.99, ages 4-8.) When a rooster finds a pouch with coins in it, all he wants to do is help his impoverished master. But a greedy nobleman grabs it instead, and so the rooster valiantly pursues him. Throughout each diabolical punishment the nobleman commands to get rid of this irritating bird, the rooster just keeps crying out, "Give back the pennies you stole." It's a cumulative tale in which the good guy ultimately is rewarded and the bad guy gets his just deserts. Berry's vibrant watercolors, intricate details and whimsy help the reader reach the satisfying conclusion. - Joanna H. Kraus
© Copyright 2004 Contra Costa Times
HICKORY RIDGE READER - September 28-29, 2004
Greetings from Hickory Ridge. Come with me on a jaunt across Europe. The Impudent Rooster is a retelling of a classic Romanian folktale by Sabina I. Rascol. As in folklore all over the world, characters are drawn larger than life, the forces of good and evil are clear and appropriately rewarded, animals and magic play a significant role, and the suffering underdog wins out in the end. Romanian folk art designs inspired Holly Berry’s vividly stylized illustrations. The story and art work together to form a unified whole for a satisfying read-aloud picture book. - Wilma Snyder
This column appears regularly in several Southwestern Virginia newspapers: the Wytheville Enterprise, the Carroll News, the Bland Messenger and the Smyth County News. © Copyright 2004 Community Newspapers of Southwest Virginia.
HORN BOOK
Splendid in feathers of gold, green, and orange, the gigantic rooster on the front cover is a sign of things to come. Rascol, in her first children's book, bases her story on a folktale told by nineteenth-century Romanian storyteller Ion Creanga. Two villains spark the plot: the selfish old woman next door who advises the rooster's owner--a poor old man--to be mean to his rooster, and the greedy nobleman who forcibly takes the small purse containing a few coins that the rooster finds by the roadside. Four times in rhythmic refrain the rooster demands the return of the purse--"Cururigu, my great lord! Give back the pennies you stole!"--and each time the nobleman punishes this impudence. The rooster is thrown down a well, into a cooking pot, into a locked money room, and into a field of trampling cattle. Fortunately, the rooster has the capacity to swallow all that endangers him. Finally, he is "as big as a hill," and the foiled nobleman, having run out of ideas, relinquishes the purse. Berry's oversize, comic pencil-and-watercolor pictures accent the setting with folk motifs and expertly convey the nobleman's rising frustration and the rooster's escapes, as well as the predictable reversal of fortunes. This robust battle of wits will engage a wide age range of listeners. -M.A.B.
Copyright © The Horn Book 2004
KIRKUS REVIEWS
Rascol adapts a classic Romanian tale originally told by Ion Creanga as "The Pouch with Two Coins." A poor man refuses to eat his old friend, the rooster, but in his desperation, wishes that the rooster was a hen who could lay eggs. The rooster, hurt by this scolding, sets off down the road. When he finds a coin purse, he knows he can help the old man, only to have it snatched from his beak by a nobleman's coachman, who refuses to return it. So Rooster takes matters into his own beak, swallowing gold and goods in a wonderfully charming story that brings riches back to the rooster's master and, of course, in the tradition of all good tales, everyone lives happily ever after-except perhaps for the nobleman, who finally has to work for a living. Berry echoes richly colored Romanian folk-art designs throughout the stylized illustrations that reflect the humor, magic, and power of the tale.
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews 2004
PLANET ESME
Misfortune falls hard upon an old man, but when he asks for charity from a neighbor, she cruelly advises him to beat his rooster, maybe then he will get an egg. When the rooster overhears his beloved master wishing his fine feathered friend were indeed a hen so he could lay eggs, he is wounded and takes to the open road. He soon finds a purse full of coins which is promptly plucked from his beak to feed the avarice of a greedy nobleman. This rooster has the impudence to chase down the coach and demand the return of the money. Oh, that a rooster should dare call a rich man a thief! The nobleman goes to great length to eradicate the foul fowl, but the rooster's great pluck helps him to survive every punishment devised. Growing in size with every injustice laid upon him, he ultimately returns with an even greater fortune as well as forgiveness to his proud owner. Children will crow at the nobleman's bad behavior and cheer at the hero's perseverance. This classic Romanian folktale has an Emperor's New Clothes "call 'em like you see 'em" spirit, and the loyalty and fortune-finding of the pet smacks of Puss in Boots, but this valiant read-aloud with vibrant, folksy pictures has an enduring spirit all its own. A perfect storytime choice!
Copyright © Planet Esme 2004
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
Sunday, July 4, 2004
Kid lit to crow about - By DONNA GOLD,
Children's books can be wild and raucous, surprisingly witty, or very gentle and sweet, but the very best of children's books are equally treasured by the adults who read them.
It's not only their charm; it's also that they reach a profundity that swings old and young to a deep understanding of some very real truths. We're not talking just serious stuff, either.
True fairy tales have that depth of understanding, along with a sense of history. "The Impudent Rooster," adapted by Sabina I. Rascol, illustrated by Holly Berry (NY: 2004. Dutton Children's Books. $16.99), has the rhythm, implausibility and heart of something worn smooth by hundreds of tellings.
In this story of kindness rewarded, an old man's rooster, his pride and joy, becomes huge with courage and daring. Single-beakedly, he covers the man's barren table with coins, and his empty pastures with cattle.
Waldoboro illustrator Berry's bold, color-filled and detailed drawings are perfect for the Roumanian setting.
Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Good triumphs over greed in Rascol's debut book, a buoyant retelling of a Romanian folk tale about a rewarding reversal of fortune. Weak from hunger, an impoverished old man chastises his beloved rooster for not being a hen that can lay eggs. Crestfallen, the pet takes to the road, where he finds a purse containing several pennies. Alas, a greedy nobleman "who had amassed his wealth by wronging others" spies the rooster and tells his coachman to snatch the purse. The plucky pullet pursues the thief, who pitches the rooster down a well, tosses him into a blazing oven, locks the fowl into his overflowing money room and throws him into the middle of a herd of cattle. Each time, the clever crower outwits his would-be captor and now as "big as a hill" after swallowing much of the villain's stash of coins and his herd finally gets what he wants. Followed by the nobleman's entire flock of admiring poultry, the victorious hero proudly trots home and gives all of his accumulated wealth to his master, who in turn shares his bounty with the poor. Berry (Roughing It on the Oregon Trail) captures the tale's energy and comical goings-on in bustling, vividly hued pictures inspired by Romanian folk art. Her depiction of the rooster's increasing girth, along with the plot's effective repetition and upbeat finale, make this a peppy pick for reading aloud. Kids will happily crow along.
Copyright © Publishers Weekly 2004
SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
You can toss the rooster into a oven, throw him into a well or lock him in a room with all your treasure – no matter, he's going to prevail. On a mission for his master and vigilant against evil, this rooster is awe-inspiringly brave. Rascol adopts this story from her native Romania, aided and abetted by Berry's energized illustrations. Here's the story of how one little rooster, with superhero inclinations, can transform the rich into the poor, the poor into the rich, and right the bigger inequalities of the world. - Leigh Fenly
Copyright © San Diego Union-Tribune 2004
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
A classic Romanian
folktale gets a beautiful telling from Los Angeles (by way of Romania)
writer Sabina I. Rascol and illustrator Holly Berry in The Impudent
Rooster (Dutton; 32 pages; $17.99; ages 4-up).
At its core, it's a tale of love, loyalty and perseverance.
A
starving old man's rooster takes off to find him food, finds a purse he
tries to bring back for his master to buy food, but is foiled by a
greedy nobleman who steals the purse. The rest of the story involves
the rooster vexing the nobleman, gobbling up all manner of things --
including the nobleman's roomful of gold coins as well as all his
cattle -- and growingto be the size of Godzilla. He ultimately escapes
from the nobleman, returns to his master and spews out all the money
and cattle, making him instantly a rich man. Kids should be wowed by
the bright, bold, fantastic
art -- folk- flavored yet stylized for a modern look. - Regan McMahon, Chronicle Assistant Book Editor
Copyright © San Francisco Chronicle 2004
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
This vibrantly illustrated adaptation of a traditional story describes how loyalty can triumph over adversity. A poor elderly man has only his beloved rooster for company. One day, however, he speaks harshly to him, and the bird leaves "not knowing or caring where he went." He finds a small purse of coins but a greedy nobleman steals it. The rooster runs after the rich man, who tries to drown, burn, starve, and trample the rooster, but the fowl keeps finding a way out of each situation, growing larger as he swallows his enemy's treasure and cattle. The rooster finally regains the coin purse. He returns to the old man, who greets him with joy, and the two live richly, and happily ever after. The fast-paced action and a repeated refrain ("Cucurigu, my great lord!/Give back the pennies you stole") will grab readers' attention. The language flows smoothly and reads aloud well. The large folk-art paintings, done in watercolors and colored pencils, depict brightly clothed characters, detailed backdrops, and a hero who grows in stature along with his deeds. - Janet M. Bair, Trumbull Library, CT
Copyright © School Library Journal 2004
THE FIVE OWLS
Sabina I. Rascol wins young readers with her combination of humor, a bit of magic, and strong themes of perseverance and loyalty as she adapts Ion Creanga's story that Romanian children have loved for years. Although she grew up in California, received her bachelor's degree in English at Bryn Mawr College and her master's degree in Romanian literature from the University of Bucharest, this Romanian by birth reaches back to her heritage to share this story with American children. This is Ms. Rascol's first book and it marks her as a writer to watch for and to seek out in the future.
Young readers will be fascinated by a rooster that can drink up a well, spit out the ingested water to quench a raging fire, devour stacks of gold treasure coins and still have the energy (and the space) to consume a herd of cattle. In addition to following this rooster's activities, children will love the change of pace that comes with the repeated refrain, "give back the pennies you stole," as it appears throughout the story at just the right moments.
The impudent rooster has magic abilities as well as a keen sense of loyalty to his poverty stricken master who spoke harshly to him in a moment of hunger and anger. At the story end, the rooster forgives his master for his hurtful words, shares his new-found wealth with him, and with others in need. The story finale points up a strong theme delivered with a subtleness that pleases the adult reader as well as the young listener.
Holly Berry, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design has illustrated many award-winning children's books. Ms. Berry's colorful folk-art paintings done in watercolor and colored pencil keep young readers happily focused on the pages and eager to see more. - Dorothy Francis
© Copyright 2004 The Five Owls
