| "Exciting,
comic, touching, and altogether wonderful: a classic by a peerless
artist. --Publishers Weekly
"Children will love this
bizarre tale with its humorous drawings and lively sense of fun. Steig
continues to create enchanting pictures in the style that has
brought him international popularity." --*Starred/Kirkus
Reviews
"An inspired tour de
force of verbal and visual storytelling." --John Cesh, USA Today
Reviews
Kirkus Reviews - *starred
review
In yet another delightfully inventive picture book, Steig combines a
tale of uncanny transformation with his distinctively animated
illustrations.
By coincidence, Solomon the
rabbit scratches his nose and wiggles his toes simultaneously -- and
a marvelous metamorphosis occurs: he discovers that he's capable of
turning himself into a nail. Fueled by this unique ability, Solomon
proceeds to test the trick on unsuspecting friends, who are baffled,
and at home, where he mystifies everyone. But the thrill of the
prank grows dull as time passes, and Solomon concentrates on
Parcheesi and collecting butterflies.
One summer day, while Solomon
is searching for rare butterfly specimens in a meadow, he meets a
most unpleasant stranger -- Ambrose, a one-eyed cat. Armed with a
knife, Ambrose is ready to march Solomon home to cook for supper.
It's a frightful predicament but suddenly Solomon remembers his
magic trick and vanishes. Ambrose, whose surly demeanor would
frighten anyone, marches off in a rather confused state. Solomon
reappears prematurely and is spotted by the cat, who pockets his as
a nail and takes him away, not quite understanding the strange turn
of events. Clorinda, his portly wife, doesn't really believe
Ambrose's tale, but they put the nail in a padlocked cage in
anticipation of fresh rabbit stew. As the days pass, the two become
increasingly frustrated, and Ambrose eventually hammers Solomon into
the side of the house in a fit of rage.
Being a nail imbedded in a
wall is a new experience for Solomon and he copes as best he can,
though a pervading sense of loneliness permeates his reverie. A
stroke of good fortune luckily occurs and Solomon returns home to
his astounded family.
Children will love this
bizarre tale with its humorous drawings and lively sense of fun.
Steig continues to create enchanting pictures in the style that has
brought him international popularity. |
Solomon
the Rusty Nail