Oceanian & Australasians Peoples - Fiction & Literature, Arts & Entertainment - Fiction
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Overview
The animals in a secluded valley love the old man who sings, whistles, and plays music on his old wind-up gramophone. Over time, the old man forgets to sing, until the animals of the valley create a melody so beautiful that the old man is reminded of his one true love--music. Winch explores the relationship between a man, animals, and the music that brings them together. Full color.A man fills the Australian wilderness with singing, but because he is old, one day he forgets to sing, so the animals help him remember.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
The story is one of friendship, harmonious living and, eventually, harmonious singing. This old man loved to sing, whistle, and play his old wind-up gramophone. He moved to a quiet valley to escape the drowning city noise. There, his singing drew the attention of the surrounding wildlife. They gathered daily to listen to his lively sounds. As years passed and the old man became forgetful, he forgot to sing and the valley became quiet and empty. But then the kangaroos began drumming, and the birds began serenading, which initiated similar responses from their many friends including the old man, who was reminded of his singing. Children of all ages will delight in the heartwarming, humorous and detailed watercolors that tell the story even better than the words.School Library Journal
K-Gr 2-An odd Australian import. Despite the high-quality gouache and watercolor illustrations and the potentially engaging animals depicted, the minimal plot and detached tone make it unlikely that the book will find an appreciative audience. An old man has chosen to live in the country, far from the city's noise. At first, he is content to sing, whistle, and listen to music as he tends to his chores. The animals grow so used to his presence that when he becomes quiet and forgetful, they are disturbed by the silence and fill it with their own sounds and rhythms. Readers are told that their croaking, drumming, and chirping inspire the old man to sing again, and all ends well. Unfortunately, his decline has been too convincingly drawn to allow readers to accept this quick fix. Although there are aspects of the story that might appeal to youngsters, the man's isolation is so complete as to seem unnatural and is distinctly upsetting. As a modern fable for adults, this book may have some merit. But as a thoughtful picture book for children, it's a well-intentioned failure. Skip it and wait for the next effort by this talented artist.-Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of PittsburghBook Details
Published
September 1, 1998
Publisher
Scholastic, Inc.
Pages
32
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780590226417