How the Ladies Stopped the Wind

Publishers Weekly

The team that made stars of a group of Icelandic ladies in The Problem with Chickensreturns for another winning round. It hardly matters what they're up to-Gunnella's flat, deadpan oil portraits of the ladies, their polka-dot aprons and their hapless chickens are inherently funny, and every page contains another visual poke in the ribs. This time, the wind troubles them, as the thick-legged ladies are being blown sideways by brisk gusts, and they have to hold onto fence posts so they don't fly away. The ladies decide to plant trees to break the force of the gale, then discover that the sheep find young trees very appetizing (the distraught ladies line up like chess pieces and sing "Please, please don't eat the trees!" to a herd of perplexed sheep). Next, a trio of moon-faced ladies exhorts an earnest cow, "Please herd the sheep away from the trees. Please lead them to the grass." Their plan succeeds in the villages but fails out in the country, where the sheep just can't be prevented from eating the trees. As it turns out, though, that's just as well: "In the Icelandic countryside," McMillan concludes, "you can still see forever." Readers will be grateful that McMillan and Gunnella have resisted the urge to scout around for new subject matter; the ladies and their animal companions possess enough charm to fill several more books. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz

Annoyed by the strong winds that disrupt their lives, the women of an Icelandic village decide to plant trees to stop them. When the trees arrive, the ladies sing to the sheep, asking them not to eat the trees. They also feed the chickens, so they will provide fertilizer. Unfortunately the sheep eat the buds on the trees, so they have to order more trees. They ask the cows to keep the sheep away and build a fence as well. As the young ladies encourage the chickens, this finally works. The trees are such a help that women in other villages follow their lead, all dancing and singing the song to encourage the chickens. So this original legend-like tale ends happily for most of Iceland's villages. Gunnella's oil paintings have a folk-art look, with simplified forms, local dress, and static but decorative compositions. Although not full-page, the illustrations contain enough detail to amplify the narrative. There is a peaceful, joyous look reinforcing the patience of the village ladies.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3
It is very windy in Iceland, and going for a walk can be challenging. So what did the ladies of one village decide? Why, that they would plant trees, in the village and in the countryside, to act as a windbreak. The chickens help, by providing an abundance of fertilizer. But once the sheep discover how tasty the little trees are, they eat them. The ladies replant, and build a fence around the village. The chickens fertilize, the sheep stay out with the cows, and all is well-until the sheep once more discover the tasty trees outside the fence. But thanks to the ladies (and to the chickens!), no matter how barren the fields may be, there are many beautiful trees in each village in Iceland. The illustrations are done in a faux-naif folk-art style in intensely colorful oils, perfect for depicting a village set among beautiful scenic hills near the ocean, and the cover, showing a mother pushing a baby carriage and three chickens being blown clear off the ground by wind, will invite any young reader to open the book and see what on earth is happening. Reminiscent of Carol Greene's The Old Ladies Who Liked Cats (HarperCollins, 1991; o.p.), this book will be useful not only for storytimes, but also in classroom units on ecology.
—Marian DrabkinCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

The Iceland in this fable is one in which the village women are in cahoots with their farm animals and able to plant and protect beautiful trees in order to stop the wild wind that makes it hard to walk. The charming folk-art illustrations show that the women's greatest helpers are the rather self-satisfied-looking hens. Initial attempts to grow trees are unsuccessful because of the fierce winds and some obstructive sheep. While the chickens are most helpful by producing a multitude of fertilizer, the sheep eat and kill the trees. So the ladies ask the cows to distract the sheep. Things seem to be working, although the chickens can be a little too prolific in their production of fertilizer. Fortunately, said fertilizer is so strong that it keeps the animals away. So long as the descendants of these smart ladies sing to the chickens, the trees are fertilized and the houses are protected from the fury of the wind. Gunnella is especially talented at showing humor and quirky characterization in her paintings. She demonstrates the wind by showing animals and people hanging up in the air at a distinctive tilt. The homey tale combined with the folksy, funny illustrations makes for an extremely winning combination. (Picture book. 3-8)