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Beauty and the Serpent: Thirteen Tales of Unnatural Animals
Students who break the rules at Ernestine Wilde Alternative High School get sent to see Ms. Lavinia Drumm, the librarian. Tall and exotically dressed, wearing strange jewelry and voluminous shawls, and holding a carved shillelagh, Ms. Drumm is known for her uncanny storytelling. She bangs her shillelagh, sits atop a table, and begins her of a boy who comes to an untimely end when he tries to teach crows to talk; of a woman who may actually be a fox; of a child who joins a family of cats below an escalator. These stories, bold and evocative -- and full of fur, feathers, and scales -- are stunningly original, yet embrace traditional and folk motifs.
Barbara Ann Porte, who is known for her superb storytelling, is in top form with this new collection of inventive tales paired with Rosemary Feit Covey's dramatic wood engravings.
Barbara Ann Porte, who is known for her superb storytelling, is in top form with this new collection of inventive tales paired with Rosemary Feit Covey's dramatic wood engravings.
- GenresShort Stories
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 24, 2012
I noted that there are not many ratings and reviews of this book, perhaps because of the age of the book or how it tends to all but disappear when placed among other books. Whatever the reason, it gave me proper enough motivation to write a review myself. Having read this book several times, I hope that my review may encourage others to read this book as well.
I remember the first moment I layed eyes on the thin spine of the book. It was a late hour, one of those moments where a person eagerly searches for a book before the hours that a library may remain open cease. I was simply scanning over shelves of the uninhabited shelves that I had visited many times when I found this small book. As I was young, I did not mind how short a read it seemed likely to be. As I was quite adventurous with my selection, I merely skimmed the overview before deciding I had chosen a correct read.
Perhaps it was simply my underage mind that caused me to develop such a liking to this book. Having had read this so young, I cannot truly change my opinion of it or properly judge it. My opinion seems set as it has been. I have enjoy immensely, the imaginative nature each story took on. My mind was indeed captivated by this small and simple collection.
I felt as if each story was eloquently put. The only real complaint of this book was that it was too basic and described as too simply put. I do not know how one can expect extensive detail into a short story that has an expanse of a single chapter but I do believe those who may have read this and ended with such complaints may simply have had too high expectations for it. When reading this, a simple tip would be to begin with an open mind. The style of this story was short tales of fantasy that for me seemed to take on the resemblance of old tales. These being the types of stories of the creatures that people had superstitions about.
Whatever my reasoning for having such a fondness of this book, I would recommend this to another if I believed this person to be the kind that would enjoy such stories. I do feel it is a good book and should receive more recognition among readers, though only by those who are open to such a primitive style of writing.
I remember the first moment I layed eyes on the thin spine of the book. It was a late hour, one of those moments where a person eagerly searches for a book before the hours that a library may remain open cease. I was simply scanning over shelves of the uninhabited shelves that I had visited many times when I found this small book. As I was young, I did not mind how short a read it seemed likely to be. As I was quite adventurous with my selection, I merely skimmed the overview before deciding I had chosen a correct read.
Perhaps it was simply my underage mind that caused me to develop such a liking to this book. Having had read this so young, I cannot truly change my opinion of it or properly judge it. My opinion seems set as it has been. I have enjoy immensely, the imaginative nature each story took on. My mind was indeed captivated by this small and simple collection.
I felt as if each story was eloquently put. The only real complaint of this book was that it was too basic and described as too simply put. I do not know how one can expect extensive detail into a short story that has an expanse of a single chapter but I do believe those who may have read this and ended with such complaints may simply have had too high expectations for it. When reading this, a simple tip would be to begin with an open mind. The style of this story was short tales of fantasy that for me seemed to take on the resemblance of old tales. These being the types of stories of the creatures that people had superstitions about.
Whatever my reasoning for having such a fondness of this book, I would recommend this to another if I believed this person to be the kind that would enjoy such stories. I do feel it is a good book and should receive more recognition among readers, though only by those who are open to such a primitive style of writing.
March 9, 2009
I was expecting fables, and got...not sure what. Generally in this type of book there are lessons to each tale--the moral of the story is...? But many of these stories just petered out. No idea why the story was told or what I was supposed to be getting out of it.
I'm trying to remember who I know that really likes fables (particularly animal-based fables), but I'm at a loss, so instead this one just goes in the box for the bookstore!
I'm trying to remember who I know that really likes fables (particularly animal-based fables), but I'm at a loss, so instead this one just goes in the box for the bookstore!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews