Tall, Wide, and Sharp-Eye: A Czech Folktale

by Mirko Gabler (Adapted by, Illustrator)

On his way to rescue a princess held captive in the castle of an evil sorcerer, a Bohemian prince is helped by three extraordinary friends.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Falling instantly in love with the picture of a princess with sparkling eyes and a friendly smile, a prince sets out to rescue her from the wicked wizard who had imprisoned her in this Czech folktale. Meeting three adventurous friends along the way - Tall, Wide and Sharp Eyes - each of whom had a special talent, he eventually comes to the wizard's castle and discovers that the princess can be his, if and only if he manages to stay up for three nights and guard her. Despite their best efforts, each night the prince and his companions fall asleep, and Tall, Wide and Sharp-Eyes must use their special talents to find her again, before the wizard returns...

Expatriate Czech-American author and artist Mirko Gabler, whose other picture-books include The Alphabet Soup and Brakus, Krakus... or the Incredible Adventure of Mr. Skola's Tourist Club , turns in Tall, Wide, and Sharp-Eye: A Czech Folktale to the traditional lore of his ancestral homeland. The story here is engaging, and reminded me quite a bit of the Brothers Grimm tale of The Six Servants and its variants from other cultures. The artwork is colorful and cute, in a cartoon-like way, and accentuates the humor of the story. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone looking specifically for traditional Czech stories.

[Kay Prell · Rating 3 out of 5]

After this I'm ready for more "Czech Folktales." J (age: 6-1/2) enjoyed it more than A (4-1/2). It was a bit wordy for A.