Fairy tales for Mr. Barker

Title:

Author:

Summary:

While Lucy tries to read to her dog, Mr. Barker, he runs off and she ends up chasing him through a fairy tale world where she helps Goldilocks, Jack, the Three Little Pigs, and Sleeping Beauty escape from their enemies.

General Note:

"A peek-through story"--Front cover.

Edition:

First U.S. edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 21 x 24 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Dogs -- Juvenile fiction.

Dog owners -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Candlewick Press,

Publication Date:

2016

2015

ISBN:

9780763681241

Publication Information:

2016

Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2016.

Call Number:

P AHLBERG

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003141895	Picture Books	AHLBERG	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Who will Lucy and her dog, Mr. Barker, see on their fairy-tale adventure? Peek through from scene to scene to guess who they might meet next.

Lucy is reading a fairy tale to Mr. Barker, but her dog has other ideas. When he jumps out the window -- landing in a cottage with a broken chair, three bowls of porridge, and a little golden-haired girl -- Lucy is right behind him. Goldilocks would rather not be there when the bears return, so she joins Lucy and Mr. Barker as they continue on their way, adding a trio of pigs, a boy with a goose, and a just-awakened princess during their journey. What happens next? Cutout windows throughout add visual surprises to this lighthearted fractured fairy tale.

Author Notes

Jessica Ahlberg is the illustrator of The Goldilocks Variations, written by her father, Allan Ahlberg, and Yucky Worms by Vivian French. She lives in England.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 2-When Lucy's dog, Mr. Barker, becomes bored with the story she's reading him and leaps out a peek-through window, the pair soon find themselves inside different fairy tale scenes. From the home of the Three Bears, they seek refuge with the Three Pigs. They then find themselves in the Giant's home atop Jack's beanstalk, later in Sleeping Beauty's bedchamber, then hurrying past a gingerbread house in the forest, and finally back in Lucy's room, safe from bears, a wolf, a giant, and a disgruntled fairy. Upon entering each new scene, Lucy asks, "Where are we?" Knowledge of the tales represented in this book will greatly enhance children's enjoyment as they follow the characters and join Lucy in saying, "Oh! I know where we are," even before a page turn reveals the answer. Sharp youngsters will notice that the poster in Lucy's room in the opening scene contains a foreshadowing of the tales she will encounter, and subsequent charming watercolor illustrations are filled with details that will help identify those stories. There are plenty of visual jokes to entertain adults reading the story aloud as well. For example, a sign in the Three Bears' home reads, "Home is where the porridge is," and the knobs on the stove point to "too cold," "too hot," and "just right." VERDICT Sturdy pages will ensure that the book holds up through repeated journeys as readers enjoy many trips through the different peek-through openings to discover in each scene.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Greenwich, CT © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Ahlberg (The Goldilocks Variations) delivers a lighthearted romp through several fairy tales, with cutout doors and windows helping guide the action from one story to the next. After Lucy's dog, Mr. Barker, dashes out the window, she follows him into a house where a "golden-haired girl" is enjoying porridge, a home made of straw, and one where they are dwarfed by enormous furniture. "Oh!" Lucy remarks each time. "I think I know where we are." In many ways, this feels like a tender, 21st-century companion to Ahlberg's parents' classic Each Peach Pear Plum; as in that book, a gentle sense of humor (this giant up the bean stalk has knuckle tattoos) and cozy, detail-rich artwork should keep children engrossed and amused for hours. Ages 2-5. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.