The Tortoise and the Hare
Bibliography:
Pinkney, J. (2018). THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. Little Brown & Co.
ISBN 978-0-316-18356-7
Plot Summary:
The story is about how even the slowest tortoise can defeat the quickest hare, and even the proudest hare can learn a timeless lesson from the most humble tortoise: Slow and steady wins the race! Here is a superbly rendered journey from starting line to finish that embodies the bravery, perseverance, and humility we can all find inside ourselves.
Critical Analysis:
It’s very unique how the book’s front page does not have words, just an ampersand (&) symbol sandwiched between a picture of a tortoise and a hare. This really captivates a reader's attention, especially a child as it might prompt them to search for the symbol’s meaning. When you open the first page of the book, you see a path of trees, cactuses, animals, and other plants helping the reader infer that the setting of the story is in the desert. The colors used are a light pastel which gives the feel of being in the desert. The characters in the story are all animals and the illustrations are large making them stand out. Everything was realistic in its own way, for example, the flag that they use to start the race was made out of a tree bark with some sort of cloth. All the animals watching and cheering is a great way to represent the reality of a race. The illustrators emphasize that the hare is running fast by showing the hare’s big feet. Although the book does not have very many words, Pinkney makes up for it by adding electrifying illustrations and very detailed artistry which help the reader fill in the blanks. This book would be perfect for students who are still learning to read because of the simple, short words.
Review Excerpt(s):
Caldecott Medal
“In Pinkney's brilliantly illustrated, nearly wordless Aesop fable, Tortoise's plodding journey across a desert landscape shows a host of critters native to the American Southwest cheering him on. The richly detailed pictures are lively and humorous, but what makes this retelling particularly ingenious is Pinkney's use of the "slow-and-steady" moral in a cumulative progression, both to recount the action and provide dramatic tension.” -Horn Book
“Caldecott winner Pinkney-s magnificently illustrated version of this famous fable gives the race the excitement of an Olympic event. On the title page, the hare challenges the tortoise and gives his neckerchief to the fox referee to use for a flag. The setting is the Southwestern desert, and the animal spectators range from bobcat and vulture to field mouse and frog. The hare leaps forth as if shot from a cannon; the tortoise, grim-faced in an engineer-s cap and bandanna, plods forward. Iterative text, delivered word by word at tortoise speed, bolsters the story-s lesson. -Slow and steady,- reads the spread that shows the tortoise making his way through a pond that the hare cleared with one leap. -Slow and steady wins,- shows the tortoise lumbering past the snoring hare. -Slow and steady wins the,- sees the hare struggling to catch up as the tortoise strides across the finish line. Pinkney-s portraits are so lifelike that the animals appear to breathe, and they present a peaceable kingdom in which predators and prey live in harmony. Ages 3-6. Agent: Sheldon Fogelman, Sheldon Fogelman Agency.” (Oct.)- Publishers Weekly
Connection:
*Students can work on a sequence of events, figuring out what is happening in the story from beginning to end.
*This would be a great book for students to find the theme in the story.
*A reader’s theater would also be a great way for students to create their own description of the story. Other similar stories:
Pinkney, Jerry. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. ISBN 978-0316013567
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