Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes

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Overview

Fox wants the grapes, but they're too high for him to reach. He's nothing if not crafty, and in this humorous new spin on the well-known fable, fox's scheme is taken to new heights.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

While this variant of Aesop's “The Fox and the Grapes” is decidedly more entertaining than the original, the moral of the fable is less clear. Palatini's distinctive characters are all amiable, except for the condescending Fox, who prides himself on being “Sly. Clever. Smart.” With expert watercolors, Moser (who collaborated with Palatini on The Three Silly Billies) subtly retains the lifelike appearances of the animals without sacrificing individualistic expression. Fox's enthusiastic plans to get the grapes are filled with convoluted equations and graphs: “Bear stands—here. Beaver stands on Bear's head—there. Porcupine stands on Beaver's tail. I stand on Porcupine.... Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.... and—voila! Grapes!” When the other characters explain their infinitely simpler plans to get the grapes, Fox turns “with a huff and a sniff” and says, “I, for one, wouldn't think of eating those lousy, rotten, stinkin' grapes now.” The traditional sour grapes ending feels tacked on, given the “Pride goeth before a fall” theme Palatini effectively develops throughout the story. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Children's Literature

It is easy to despise what you cannot get is the moral behind Aesop's Fable "The Fox and the Grapes". Margie Palatini's witty retelling makes it anything but easy for her fox. He's sly, clever, smart…and enlists the aid of bear, beaver, porcupine, possum and still voila! No grapes. If they would just be "scooches" and listen, all would be well! The author brings a bit of The Bremen Town Musicians to her rhythmic retelling as the animals pile one atop the other in various formations while attempting to reach the elusive ripe, juicy, purple grapes. Barry Moser's lushly illustrated animals are wonderfully expressive as they attempt to work with fox and his convoluted plan diagrams. Moser's tree limbs and grape clusters bleed off the pages giving the feeling of height. Young readers will reach along with fox while listening to this future classic. Reviewer: Debra Lampert-Rudman

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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3–Palatini and Moser have taken a spare Aesop fable and expanded it into a riotous treat for eyes and ears while still keeping the essence of the original. Fox eyes the grapes hanging from a vine high in a tree and thinks that he can get them easily: “I am sly. Clever. Smart. After all, I am a fox.” So, armed with paper and pencil, he draws his Plan Alpha and tries it out–no grapes. He asks Bear to help him out with Plan Bravo and Bear starts to say something, but Fox interrupts: “Bear, Bear, Bear. …Your job is brawn. Not brain. You leave the thinking to me.” “If you say so,” says Bear. After the third, fourth, and fifth plans fail, involving Beaver, Porcupine, and Possum, Fox gives up and departs in disgust with the usual rationale: “lousy, rotten, stinkin’ grapes.” “If you say so,” say the other animals as they feast on the fruit thrown down to them by Possum. Moser’s wonderful watercolor illustrations of the doubting animals executing Fox’s convoluted plans are rich in humor. They are silhouetted against plenty of white space, with the grapevines and tree dominating each large spread. Matched by a text that rolls off the tongue and is full of action and repetitive phrases, the book is a delight.–Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

Kirkus Reviews

"I am the fox," proclaims Fox repeatedly. "Sly. Clever. Smart." Well, no, not so much-as he amply demonstrates in this brisk retelling of Aesop's "Fox and the Grapes." Scribbling ever more complex diagrams on a pad as one effort after another fails, Fox proceeds to stack obliging Beaver, Porcupine and Possum atop increasingly exasperated Bear to reach the grapes hanging tantalizingly above. At last he quits in disgust ("They're probably sour anyway") and stalks off-leaving the others, each of whom had been summarily cut off in the midst of proposing more feasible ways of getting the grapes, to chow down. Though rendered in fine, naturalistic detail in Moser's typically accomplished illustrations, the animals roll their eyes and gesture in human ways that underscore the silliness of Fox's conceit. The moral is not explicitly stated but then, except for readers of Fox's ilk, it shouldn't need to be. (Picture book/fable. 6-9)

School Library Journal

Gr 3—In Margie Palatini's retelling of Aesop's fable, "The Fox and the Grapes," Fox unsuccessfully tries repeatedly to reach a bunch of grapes hanging high in a tree before ultimately deciding the grapes must be sour anyway. Barry Moser's watercolor illustrations are humorous and the perfect accompaniment to the text. Jim Brownold uses a variety of amusing voices to depict each of the woodland animals who happen by and attempt to help Fox get the grapes. Most notable is the voice for Bear, who sounds rather dim. Young listeners will likely crack up at Fox's blunders as he refuses to listen to the animals' suggestions for alternative ways to obtain the grapes. Lively music and sound effects by Bruce Zimmerman complement the text very well. As Fox tries to reach higher and higher, musical notes escalate up a scale and help listeners picture the story's action. Page-turn signals are optional. This entertaining tale and fun soundtrack will appeal to children.—Cathie Bashaw Morton, Millbrook Central Schools District, NY

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780689802461
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date: 8/11/2009
Pages: 32
Sales rank: 152,459
Age range: 4 - 8 Years
Lexile: AD340L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 8.94 (w) x 11.28 (h) x 0.42 (d)

Meet the Author

Margie Palatini is the author of many celebrated picture books, including The Three Silly Billies and Earthquack!, both also illustrated by Barry Moser, and Oink!, illustrated by Henry Cole. She lives in New Jersey. Barry Moser is an author and an artist who has won numerous awards for his work, including the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. He lives in western Massachusetts.

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Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes

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