A Little Story About a Big Turnip

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Overview

Drawing from the history of Russian verbal art, this story about a family that must work together is an adaptation of a Russian children's folk tale. When the grandfather has trouble plucking a turnip from his garden, it takes the help of the entire family—grandmother, granddaughter, dog, cat, and mouse—to dislodge it. Rhythm and melody work in combination with a clever refrain and comical, vivid watercolor drawings to make this story lyrically and visually entertaining.

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Overview

Drawing from the history of Russian verbal art, this story about a family that must work together is an adaptation of a Russian children's folk tale. When the grandfather has trouble plucking a turnip from his garden, it takes the help of the entire family—grandmother, granddaughter, dog, cat, and mouse—to dislodge it. Rhythm and melody work in combination with a clever refrain and comical, vivid watercolor drawings to make this story lyrically and visually entertaining.

Retelling of a traditional Russian folktale.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Folklore Retold Authors breathe new life into classic myths and folklore, for everyone from picture book fans on up to teenage readers. A classic Russian tale is retold faithfully in A Little Story About a Big Turnip by Tatiana Zunshine, illus. by Evgeny Antonenkov: "One day Grandie decided to pull the turnip out. He pulled, and pulled, and pulled... but the turnip wouldn't come out." Antonenkov uses bright watercolors over kinetic black pencil lines that emphasize the movements of the lanky, bumbling characters as they try to uproot the root. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1-A simple retelling of the classic Russian folktale. This version features Grandie, his wife Grannie, their granddaughter Annie, Ruffie the dog, Meowsie the cat, and Squeakie the mouse. The short sentences, one per page, make it a suitable selection for the youngest listeners. The illustrations are humorous and have lots of appeal. The artwork blends an old-fashioned, folk-art quality with modern details (the grandfather wears sneakers) and amusing touches (Squeakie has a shock of red hair, black glasses, and carries a book). The text is presented on strips of white in a collagelike fashion over the double-page paintings. Each picture vibrates with movement, whether it is from an extreme close-up of Grandie or from the exuberance the characters show for getting the turnip out of the ground. With its fresh look and accessible language, this tale will be popular for storytime and one-on-one sharing.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A pedestrian narrative dominates this retelling of a traditional Russian tale of a turnip that grows so large that it can't be pulled out of the ground until various members of the family-Grandie, Grannie, and Annie (and their pets)-pull and pull and pull. It is their cooperative effort that eventually succeeds in loosening the enormous turnip from the soil. Deep, rich, earth-toned watercolors reflect the events described in the text; the people with their exaggerated features-spider-thin waists, large bottoms, and skinny legs-make the illustrations more cartoonish than pleasant, but they are, nevertheless, the strongest element. This classic is deserving of a more energetic retelling and those abound. (Picture book/folktale. 2-6)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780964601000
  • Publisher: Pumpkin House, Ltd.
  • Publication date: 4/1/2004
  • Pages: 32
  • Sales rank: 540,839
  • Age range: 2 - 8 Years
  • Product dimensions: 8.30 (w) x 10.50 (h) x 0.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Tatiana Zunshine was born and raised in the former Soviet Union. After emigrating to the United States, she toured extensively, promoting human rights, taking part in dozens of speaking engagements, and giving numerous interviews to the media. She lives in Columbus, Ohio. Evgeny Antonenkov lives in Moscow and works as an art director for Rosman, a children’s publishing house. He has illustrated more than 20 children's books, including Winnie the Pooh, The Ring and the Rose, and Russian Folktales for Children.

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