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Stories to Solve

Name: Stories to Solve
Author: George Shannon, R. A. Katcher, Peter Sis
ISBN: 9780380732609

by George Shannon, R. A. Katcher, Peter Sis

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Overview

How can a thirsty crow drink from an almost-empty pitcher? How does arresting a stone help a judge find a boy's stolen money? This artfully illustrated book presents fourteen intriguing mysteries from world folklore. Each brain-teasing tale is followed by a simple explanation of the solution, while notes at the back of the book describe the origins of these classic mysteries.

Brief folktales in which there is a mystery or problem that the reader is invited to solve before the resolution is presented.

About the Author, George Shannon, R. A. Katcher, Peter Sis

George Shannon is a popular storyteller and former children's librarian whose many notable picture books include Tomorrow's Alphabet, Lizard's Guest, and White Is for Blueberry. Tippy-Toe Chick, Go!, illustrated by Laura Dronzek, was named a Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book. George Shannon lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Peter Sís is an internationally acclaimed author, artist, and filmmaker. Among his works are three Caldecott Honor books: The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain; Tibet: Through the Red Box; and Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei. He has illustrated five other novels by Sid Fleischman, including the Newbery Medal book The Whipping Boy. He lives with his family in New York State.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Fourteen mini-mysteries are each followed by a solution and complemented by Sis's distinctive black-and-white drawings. Ages 5-up. (Apr.)

Children's Literature

Here are fourteen delightful stories, most from "long ago and far away." One is from Aesop, one from the Brothers Grimm, one from Tibet, and one from Armenia. Wherever they are from, they have one thing in common: each ends with a small mystery and asks the reader to solve it. Some will be familiar—"Two Mothers" is a Tibetan variant of the King Solomon tale—so their solutions are easy. Some are not so familiar, and the solutions may be real puzzles. Why, for instance, does the Japanese farmer claim that he can climb to the moon? All the villagers spend the entire day with him, but of course he never gets to the moon. What he does get is his field tromped flat, ready for sowing, which is what he wanted. Some are a little subversive, and explain how to get around the authorities—which may be kings, judges, priests, or even mothers-in-law. But the stories are all told in good spirit, and a good time is had by all. Highly recommended. 2000 (orig. 1985), HarperTrophy/HarperCollins, Ages 7 to 12.
—Judy Silverman