Jethro and Joel Were a Troll

by Bill Peet

The good half of a two-headed troll gets them both in trouble when he lets the bad side rule for a day.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Monsters

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Bill Peet was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney Studios. He joined Disney in 1937 and worked on The Jungle Book, Song of the South, Cinderella, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Goliath II, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Fantasia, The Three Caballeros, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and other stories.

After successes developing short stories for Disney, Peet had his first book published, Hubert's Hair Raising Adventure.

Reviews

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The two-headed troll Jethro and Joel have a problem. While Jethro is quite content to spend his days raising the turnips they love to eat, Joel wants to be terrorizing people. When Jethro finally gives in and allows Joel to have control of their body for one day, what will happen?

I’ve always loved the title of the book, and I still find the story fun. The way he builds up to that final sentence will please adults, and the fast moving story and pictures will entertain the target picture book audience. What surprised me while reading this as an adult is the clear allegory about the dangers of giving in to what you know is wrong. Oh, don’t worry, this is a picture book with a happy ending, and it never slows down the story to lecture us.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Stephen Schroeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

An enejoyable children's story but I found the artwork more interesting than the story .

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jethro and Joel is a two-headed troll. Not only does the troll have two different names, and two different personalities, but also different views on how to lead their life. This becomes a problem because Joel wants to frighten people and destroy things, and Jethro wants to tend his turnip patch and treat people nicely. One day Joel decides to go on a rampage and the troll destroys a castle. The troll is required to rebuild it and realizes that two heads are better than one. Both heads delight in construction and the troll establishes a career as a castle builder.

Instructional uses for Jethro and Joel were a Troll:
1. Teacher read-aloud- Conduct a Turn-and-Talk activity during the reading. Students will be asked questions throughout the story and will turn-and-talk to their partner.

2. Vocabulary lesson- with words like rampage, gigantic, feisty, resounding.

3. Students can write their own stories by creating a different kind of character who causes problems and then makes good at the end.

4. Reader’s Theater activities could be done with this story.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jethro and Joel was a two headed troll who raised and ate turnips. Joel grew restless, and want to go on a rampage and frighten people, and Jethro just wanted to raise turnips and be nice to people. Giving in to Joel for one day of rampaging, led to trouble, but in the end Jethro and Joel discovered a hidden talent that led to prosperity.

[Lady reading under the Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A troll rampages across the countryside, destroying things and scaring people just for the fun of it. Later, he learns to be kind and repair the damage he caused.

Note: Some name-calling: ninnies, twerps, yellow-bellied pip-squeaks. The king decides the punishment should be beheading ("Then it's off with your heads!"); they offer to fix what they wrecked instead and he accepts.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A two headed troll can have different ideas. One enjoys farming turnips and the other enjoys rampaging the countryside. Joel was so bored that Jethro had to get the body over to Joel to go on a rampage. Well, that rampage changed their lives. They were a really big troll.

I love the ending of this book and Bill Peet ended on a great joke.

Sometimes, one just needs to find their talents and getting into trouble is a way to find them.

I still love the artwork. This would make a great Disney short.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the ending. After having to rebuild the castle to make amends for destroying it, the troll discovers that he really likes building castles and does that for a living instead of attacking humans.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun for kids of all ages.

[Luella Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute old tale of a two headed troll.

[KhiN’Millie Friesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

“That silly book was so funny. The two headed monster became a construction builder mama”- Khi

Two heads with two different perspectives of what would make for a fun day

[Magila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I liked the art, and story. It strikes you with a relaxed, late 80's pastel palate, and a wash of nostalgia.

This is an advanced picture book, with something akin to alternating pages with picture and text. It may even fall into the "early reader" section. Because it was in between a picture book and early reader book, I found it would have benefited from being less wordy and more picture-y, or longer. Instead it's caught in the middle.

If you are looking for something worthwhile to teach 4-6 year olds about diversity, controlling tempers, building over destruction, and/or picking up after themselves, you'll find those themes here.

Recommended.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird book about conjoined trolls who one day decide to be more menacing than their normal turnip-farming selves. So they troll about destroying the kingdom until someone tells them they could get into a lot of trouble. They are shamed into rebuilding the castle but decide they like it, so they become master castle builders.
Moral of the story: grow your own damn turnips 'cos the trolls ain't doin' it anymore.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jethro and Joel are a two-headed troll. Jethro just wants to peacefully grow turnips, but Joel wants to ravage the countryside. When Jethro lets Joel take over, the results are almost fatal. I need to start telling my boys to "keep your Joel in control." See that? It even rhymes, although this book does not.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though Bill Peet is probably my favorite author from my childhood, I didn't read this story until recently. It was fun, though I think that Jethro and Joel's body is awkwardly big in proportion to their heads. And there is something interesting in how it uses the word "troll" like it comes across more as a vehicle than as a being, especially as the two switch control of the shared body.

[Sonya Huser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joel, the one head of a two-headed troll would rather rampage around the countryside than plant tulips, and manages to convince Joel, the peaceful other head that one day couldn't hurt. When they are forced to help rebuild a castle they had destroyed, they discover a talent for architecture.

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very valuable lesson.
I suggest that if you have problems with your child being the partner in crime, at school; that you immediately run and get them this book! Jethro and Joel just makes the lesson make sense.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite children's author EVER

[Miss Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot more than I remembered.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoppity-Doopity!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Peet's distinct drawing style and the punchline at the end of the story. It's a shame his work is not more well known.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but it wasn't one of my favorites.