The House Gobbaleen - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 4?In this original fairy tale, Tooley is convinced that he suffers from bad luck?his roof leaks, his potatoes are too small, and his pig keeps breaking out of her sty. Nonsense, says his sensible cat Gladsake, but the man is determined to attract one of the Fair Folk and change his lot. When a round little figure named Hooks shows up at the door, Tooley is elated, until he finds himself spending his days serving and feeding him. Tooley catches on finally, but it is Gladsake who saves the day with a wily scheme worthy of Brer Rabbit. Alexander's rolling, lilting language is a joy to read aloud, and the seamlessly written story with its wry undertone will engage both young listeners and older readers. Tooley is a good-natured and appealing character, if a bit slow to grasp his situation, and Gladsake is not only clever and sensible, but also extraordinarily patient. Goode's bright, cheery paintings and distinctive style capture the spirit of the tale and carry it to its triumphant conclusion. She maintains a sense of motion with abrupt shifts in angle and perspective and through repeated images that move across one page to the next. The scenes are packed with detail: Tooley's cramped cottage, chock-full of chipped crockery, conveys an air of shabby gentility. Hooks is a marvel of cherubic malevolence, while Tooley's gangly arms and legs and long face with its endearing, if goofy, expression illustrates his eagerness to please. A delightful treat from beginning to end.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Newbery Medalist Alexander, storyteller par excellence, effortlessly whips up a confection featuring a feckless fellow named Tooley, his clever cat Gladsake, and Hooks, a no-good member of the Friendly Folk. Hoping for his luck to change, Tooley invites Hooks into his home. But Hooks is bent only on sponging off his host, not rewarding his hospitality, and he soon has Tooley running to do his bidding. The little man (who grows rotunder by the day) guzzles Tooley's cider, cleans out his larder, sleeps in the best bed and appropriates the best chair. Meanwhile, Tooley's fortunes show no sign of improving. Realizing he's been hoodwinked, Tooley bemoans his new fate until his savvy cat takes charge and routs the intruder with tales of none other than himself, the House Gobbaleen. It's an utterly delicious tale, and Alexander and Goode are an unbeatable combination. Goode's beguilingly tattered backdrops can hardly contain the droll, frisky action she depicts in such warm colors, and her artwork's elfin charm matches Alexander's sprightly originality. Readers will hope for another collaboration from these two, and soon. Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.