Nanny Goat and Seven Little Kids

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- This retelling of the Grimms' tale of disguise and disobedience is set in a lively picture-book format with glossy, full-colored illustrations. About to go out, Nanny Goat warns her brood not to let the wolf into their house. But when the wolf tricks them into thinking he is their mother, he bursts in and eats them up. In the end, Nanny's resourcefulness wins over the wolf's cunning. Kimmel has modified some of the Grimms' old-fashioned narration. What remains is a trimmer voice with a lyrical quality, and a book that is set in a contemporary rural setting and filled with vitality, humor, and vivid colors. Stevens' portrayal of the reality of having seven kids in a house filled with scattered toys is in sharp contrast to Felix Hoffmann's version (HBJ, 1957; o.p.), in which static drawings show look-alike goats standing neatly in a row. Her interpretation is similar to Tony Ross' Mrs. Goat and her Seven Little Kids (Atheneum, 1990) in its updated approach. Both Ross and Stevens' kids' clothes allude to their distinct personalities (roller skates, cowboy boots, and a Walkman). Stevens' drawings all but leap off the pages, often pushing out of her borders, and the double-page spread showing the wolf bursting into the house is startling and swift. Ross' illustrations are action-packed as well, but are humorous and zany. His is a great departure from Grimm. While Kimmel has taken some liberties in altering Grimm's plot, his presentation is more direct, making this tale of contrast and cleverness a good addition to folk literature collections. It is a balanced mix of drama and mirth. --Marianne Pilla, Upper Dublin Public Library, Dresher, PA
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