Donald and the ....

Donald #1

by Peter F. Neumeyer, Edward Gorey (Illustrator)

Donald's new pet undergoes a surprising change of appearance.

Genres: Fiction, Art, Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Graphic Novels, Dark

47 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Chequers · Rating 3 out of 5]

La storia e' abbastanza semplice ma le illustrazioni di Gorey sono al tempo stesso meravigliose e spaventose

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I approve. 👍🏽 On to see what happens when Donald has a difficulty.

P.S. I especially enjoyed the atmospheric “How It All Began” note in the back.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donald and the… is another book by Peter F. Neumeyer and Edward Gorey in which the grim style deployed in Gorey’s pictures functions to undermine readers’ expectations with regard to the conventions of representation typically employed in children’s books. Moreover, the story raises many questions that it does not answer. For instance, although Donald’s mother is an important character both in this book and in Donald Has a Difficulty, Donald’s father is not mentioned, nor is the reader told where he is. In one of the pictures, Donald is shown sitting on his bed working on a model of a building he has constructed from matches and glue. This suggests something of Donald’s capacity for imagination and planning, but also calls attention to the fact that Donald does not appear to own any toys—although the furniture (including the grotesque garbage can) imply that Donald and his mother are not poor, Donald is never shown with a toy car, a bicycle, even a stick and a hoop. Does this imply that Donald is living in the Victorian era, in which children were seen not as children, but as little adults? At the time Donald is building his model, he is in his bedroom because he has “painful ribs”; this is quite specific, and yet at the same time quite vague; what, exactly, is wrong with Donald? Perhaps the largest question the story raises is that of what happens after the narrative ends; events could go one of several ways, but Gorey and Neumeyer have left this last riddle for the reader to work out in his or her imagination.

Acquired Apr 3, 2010
City Lights Book Shop, London, Ontario

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this one because of it's weirdness both Neumeyer and Gorey brings. Both are minimalist (text and illustration) which gives you that vintage feel. What supposed to be a predictable surprise turns into a very weird ending.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the art, the story is meh….

[Soeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Them be hallucinating

[Tiuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! Lol! That ending! Reading the summary (which luckily I hadn’t) would ruin the surprise.

[MK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donald's imagination is amazing. His mother was always kind.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining little tale with a great title and wonderfully illustrated by the simply superb Edward Gorey.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Floating Worlds: The Letters of Edward Gorey & Peter F. Neumeyer goes into so much detail about all of the conversations behind the creation of the Donald books that I just had to pick up my own copies of Donald And The... / Donald Has A Difficulty, and they are both such treasures. Any excuse to pore over Edward Gorey's marvelous illustrations, and the quirky stories by Neumeyer are just an added bonus.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edward Gorey's work is always delightful, and this little book is no different. Donald's misadventures buoy him through a dull, quiet, upper-class life, and this installment presents us with tales of metamorphosis. Charming!

[Susan Greve · Rating 4 out of 5]

given to me by something special. en lieu with Colette. children are heartbreakingly wonderful. it is powerful to remember that I have an imagination and it is just as legit as this (so called) reality.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisted little story about the small white worm Donald finds at the bottom of the trash can, illustrated by the inimitable Gorey.

[Selenita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yikes!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually cackled out loud at the end. This now rivals "The Doubtful Guest" as my favorite Edward Gorey book.

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, wicked little "children's" book. It's what I expected Gorey would have illustrated.