In the Tall, Tall Grass

by Denise Fleming, Denise Fleming (Illustrator)

Overview

If you were a fuzzy caterpillar crawling through the tall, tall grass on a sunny afternoon, what would you see?

To find out, just follow the tiny tour guide as he inches his way through the pages of this book. You'll see ants and bees and birds—hip-hopping bunnies too. You'll even hear the sounds some of them make.

Crunch, munch,
caterpillars lunch...
Crack, snap, wings flap...

Beginning as the sun is high in the sky and ending as fireflies blink and the moon rises above, this backyard tour is one no child will want to miss.

Denise Fleming's In the Tall, Tall Grass has been named:
1992 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award Honor Book for Picture Books
An ALA Notable Book
A School Library Journal Best Book
An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
A Booklist Editors' Choice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805016352
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	09/15/1991
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	196,356
Product dimensions:	10.35(w) x 10.35(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Denise Fleming has written and illustrated many children's books, including Shout! Shout It Out!, and Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy. She won a Caldecott Honor for In the Small, Small Pond. Denise published her first painting in the third grade, when she started taking classes at the Toledo Museum of Art and one of her paintings was chosen to be the cover of a teacher's magazine. She now works primarily with paper, by pouring colored paper pulp through hand-cut stencils. She lives in Toledo, Ohio.

Editorial Reviews

Charming.” —The Horn Book, starred review

“A terrific story-hour book. As day turns to night, a caterpillar crunches and munches his way through the tall, tall grass.... Besides a treat for eyes and ears, this can be used as an introductory nature lesson.” —Booklist, starred review

“Bold, bright, stylized illustrations capture eye and imagination as they convey the simple, rhyming text of this outstanding nature tale.” —School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

Singling out the ``array of vibrant verbs and boisterous onomatopeia'' and the ``kaleidoscope effect'' of the textured paper collages, PW called Caldecott Honor artist Fleming's caterpillar safari ``ideal for sharing with young explorers.'' Ages 2-6. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PreS-K-- Bold, bright, stylized collage illustrations capture the eye and the imagination as they depict the simple, rhyming text of this outstanding nature tale. From a caterpillar's point-of-view, children see the many happenings in the tall, tall grass: ``crunch, munch, caterpillars lunch/dart, dip, hummingbirds sip'' etc. Bees and birds, ants and snakes are among the daytime inhabitants. Then, with the ``stars bright, moonlight'' come nocturnal fireflies and bats: ``good night, tall, tall grass.'' The childlike illustrations were created by pouring colored cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils, resulting in remarkable images. Colors--shaded and varied--range full spectrum, deep and true through sunny yellow, cobalt, plum, a dozen shades of green. On each double page appears the blue-eyed, yellow-with-orange-spots caterpillar, always in proper perspective to the other creatures. Two-year-olds (and even younger) will enjoy the rhyme and rhythm, three-year-olds exploring numbers will love counting insects, four-year-olds--who are sure they can ``read''--will experience success after a few listenings, and adults won't mind the request, ``Read it again, please.'' A real charmer. --Virginia Opocensky, formerly at Lincoln City Libraries, NB

School Library Journal