Charlotte and the White Horse

by Ruth Krauss, Maurice Sendak (Illustrator)

Continuing a two-year program to bring back twenty-two Maurice Sendak treasures long out of print, our second season of publication highlights one of the most successful author-illustrator pairings of all time. A pioneer of great children's literature, Ruth Krauss published more than thirty books for children during a career that spanned forty years. Krauss and Sendak collaborated on eight books, and we are delighted to reintroduce four of these gems in brand-new editions, together with a favorite Maurice Sendak picture book.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2001

About the author

Ruth Ida Krauss was an American writer of children's books, including The Carrot Seed, and of theatrical poems for adult readers.

Reviews

[Juushika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Sendak at his most rare and beautiful, with soft colors and a dreamy style (reminiscent of Kenny's Window and Outside Over There), and it's Krauss writing what feels like could only be found in children's literature or poetry, a scattershot and drifting narrative about the profound wish fulfillment of the horse-girl trope, with themes of responsibility, community, growth, and passing seasons. Krauss/Sendak combinations are usually more energetic; this has the evocative weirdness of their collaboration in I'll Be You and You Be Me, but gentled as it's spun into a longer story. I honestly can't guess what a child would think of this, but I found it delightful.

[Kelda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a little gem with beautiful illustrations, softer than much of the Maurice Sendak I have seen. The pairing of the text with the illustrations, sweet and tender, delights. There are moments of oddity and almost awkwardness but it comes together as something rare and wonderful.

[Katie]

This classic picture book doesn't appeal to me on a text level, but I'll give the caveat that it uses formal language and I only read it twice. The book is still a treasure. I read it in the 1983 hardcover format with dust jacket. It's nearly exactly the size of one of my outspread hands, and I love holding it. The title is in a geometric serif handwriting font, and the copyright page reveals that the beautifully clean sans serif text throughout is also handlettered, by Jeanyee Wong. The images on the cover, and on each page throughout, are encased in a rectangular shape for a strong visual impact. Those illustrations are gorgeously atmospheric paintings (watercolor? gouache?) with a gentler version of Maurice Sendak's famous black ink linework. The simple compositions and muted colors add to a dreamy quality. What girl hasn't dreamed of a horse?

[Caleb]

the people are coming out of doors
they are coming out of windows
they are coming out and planting radishes,
the worms are coming out of the old apples.
—the time of my singing is come.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite-ever picturebooks, for its indescribable voice. Krauss and Sendak are at their best here — the text is both lyrical and witty, reading like a child channeling the Bible, and the illustrations are, appropriately, Chagall-like. A beautiful collaboration.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty and Timeless Hope

"Enchanting" is an overused word, but Maurice Sendak's illustrations and Ruth Krauss' narrative in Charlotte and the White Horse are enchanting without a quibble or a doubt. In this story about love, hope, newness, and possibilities, author Krauss sprinkles allusions to the biblical Song of Songs / Song of Solomon throughout the tale of Charlotte and her colt "- not a lion, not a fire engine -" Milky Way. The wind and the rains are gone, grasses sprouting, trees in bud. With radishes planted and winter over, spring and the time of singing have arrived in the land where Charlotte and Milky Way live. Sendak's full-color watercolor illustrations are simple yet wonderfully detailed. Charlotte and the White Horse would be a wonderful keepsake for yourself or a gift for someone of any age, from preschool to centenarian. Maurice Sendak died this morning, 08 May 2012, at the age of 83; I'd long intended to review and blog Charlotte and the White Horse, and finally, here's my review.

Originally reviewed in May 2012

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte and her horse, Milky Way...
Author Ruth Krauss and Illustrator Maurice Sendak...
Oh what a wondrous ride awaits!

When that horse stands up for the first time, and then he "looks around and sees a little girl smiling."
Oh, what a tender tale!
Seemingly unsophisticated. To my heart and spirit, though, this tale is enormously sophisticated. And meaningful.

FIVE STARS are now sent, with my gratitude, to Ruth and Maurice.

[Roger · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I were a little girl who loved horses, this would get 4 or 5 stars.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so story. It's not very well written. The only thing this book has going for it are the illustrations by Maurice Sendak.

[maryam :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated picture book my mum used to read to me, brought me back to a simpler time and for that, I’m ever thankful

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since this has a great title, and the pictures are my one of my favorites of all time, Maurice Sendak, I wanted to love this book...but, the prose is a bit weird and falls short of a good story, in my opinion. I did like Sendak's illustrations, however.

[Cheryl]

Oh I am so sad that whatever part of me that should appreciate this has died. I know it's a beautiful little book, but I cannot *feel* that it is, and it is all about feelings.

I still love Krauss's other works, esp. A Hole is to Dig and its companion titles.

[M— · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find permanent copy for mom.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chagall/Picassoesque pictures. The story is a bit too poetic to appeal to my two year old.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nostalgia factor will make this more appealing to adults than to very young children -- but you can't lose with the combined talents of author Ruth Krauss and illustrator Maurice Sendak.

[Taryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

... huh?

Am I the wrong generation to appreciate this bizarre story?