Synopsis
A playful folktale about a very bold little boy—illustrated by beloved artist Jane Ray.
One day, a bold boy entrusts an old woman to look after his pea.
But when the old woman’s speckled hen eats the pea, the bold boy declares the hen is rightfully his! What happens when the bold boy entrusts an old man to look after the speckled hen—and a curious pig frightens the hen away, and a donkey scares off the pig—where will it all end? Jane Ray’s stunning artwork illuminates Malachy Doyle’s delightful folktale for the very young.
Publishers Weekly
This original folktale about a cheeky child's comeuppance has all the brio of a joyful jig. When a boy happens upon a small green pea in the countryside, he knows just how to parlay the pea into a substantially better lot. The bold boy gives an old woman the pea for safekeeping. But when he returns to claim his little legume, the boy discovers that the woman's hen has eaten it. "You ate my pea so now you're mine, for that's the law where I come from!" the boy declares as he makes off with the hen. He tries the same approach, asking an old man to safeguard the hen, and eventually acquires first a pig, then a donkey, until one smart girl catches the bold boy at his game. With its old-world tone, featuring the boisterous, oft-repeated phrase "Naughty, naughty!" Doyle's (Jody's Beans) snappy tale will likely hold much appeal for the read-aloud crowd. In straightforward, playful scenes a departure from her typically complex compositions Ray's (Fairy Tales) mixed-media artwork dazzles with signature zippy gold-paint accents and folk-art motifs. Lush green hills dotted with quaint cottages, a vibrantly plumed hen and a plump pink porker are a few of the memorable images here. Ages 3-up. (Nov.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.