Peter and the Wolf: Based on the Orchestral Tale by Sergei Prokofiev - Hardcover

Selina Hastings is a distinguished journalist, biographer and literary editor. In addition to Peter and the Wolf, she has retold a number of classic tales for Walker, including The Canterbury Tales (also illustrated by Reg Cartwight), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady; and The Cock, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen. Reg Cartwright is a successful painter as well as illustrator of children's books, often in partnership with his wife, Ann. Among his titles are Birds, Beasts and Fishes, a Walker anthology of verse, and Mr Potter's Pigeon, winner of the Mother Goose Award.

Kindergarten-Grade 3 This retelling of Prokofiev's ``orchestral tale'' offers a short but faithful text, and the stylized illustrations in muted colors are generally satisfactory. The wolf, with rabbit-like ears, is not excessively frightening, but although the text assures readers that he ``swallowed the poor duck whole,'' the picture seems to show his sharp teeth sinking into her as the feathers fly. Unfortunately, this version just doesn't stand up to its very stiff competition. The art looks static and fussy next to Charles Mikolaycak's (Viking, 1982); in both Warren Chappell's (Knopf, 1940) and Erna Voight's (Godine, 1980) editions, fine illustrations and clear typography accompany bars of the music; and last year's outstanding version by Jorg Muller and Loriot (Knopf, 1986) surpassed even these. The Cartwright-Hastings collaboration makes an earnest but straggling fifth. Patricia Dooley, formerly at Drexel University, Philadelphia
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.