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Carolinda Clatter!
When Carolinda Clatter is born, everyone in the town of Pupickton begs her to be quiet - so as not to wake the sleeping giant. But Carolinda loves noise! When the giant stirs and Carolinda is sent to put him back to sleep, it is her special noise that soothes him. Narrated by the author, and with his own glowing paintings, this spirited story is full of love and the mysterious power of music.
Audio Cassette
First published September 1, 2005
About the author
Mordicai Gerstein
101 books72 followersMordicai Gerstein was an American artist, writer, and film director, best known for illustrating and writing children's books. He illustrated the comic mystery fiction series Something Queer is Going On.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
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November 4, 2019There was a giant. He wanted to marry the Moon. He danced and sang to the Moon. Then he laid down on the ground. People lived on him. Everyone was quiet in the town. But a girl was born in town and woke the giant up. Everyone shocked. But the giant loved singing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
Loved it! The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.
April 22, 2010
This book is just something else, any way I look at it. The illustrations created by Mordicai Gerstein are surpassingly beautiful in every respect; observe, for example, the way that the light emanations from the moon are portrayed, especially for the page on which the giant is lying on his back, weeping. In my opinion, the artistic value of this book is at least very close to that of The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, Mordicai Gersteins's Caldecott Medal-winning gem from 2003.
The story that is Carolinda Clatter! is as beautifully and thoughtfully woven as the illustrations, bursting with originality and sensitivity like few other picture books. A giant, the last survivor of his kind, sees the moon floating in the heavens above, and he is spellbound by the awesome splendor of its beauty. The giant patiently courts the moon—not just for years, but for thousands upon thousands of years—yet the earth's glowing satellite becomes no less aloof, never succumbing in the slightest to the giant's romantic efforts. Finally run dry of all perseverance, the giant collapses onto his back and gives up, falling asleep and remaining in the same spot for so long that the earth grows over and around him, and he is swallowed up by greenery.
Untold years pass, and an entire town is erected on top of the land that the still-sleeping giant has become. The existence of the giant beneath the land has continued to be known through legend, however, and the people living there all take precautions not to awaken the slumbering giant with any undue noise...until, that is, Carolinda Clatter is born. Carolinda's spirit screams within her to make noise and to sing, and it is just her lovely singing that finally, after so long, arouses the giant from his deep sleep. The ground trembles as the giant shifts beneath, and it is up to Carolinda to make her way through the mountains and woods to speak to the giant and try to convince him to stay under the earth where he is. Perhaps the giant is loved now just how he is without having even known that he was being loved; perhaps the moon now even looks upon him in a brand new way. Maybe, after thousands of years of unhappiness, what Carolinda has to say to the giant can finally give him some lasting peace.
This is an exceptional story that excels in every way, and I would proudly recommend it to anyone that likes high-quality picture book literature. I would probably give two and a half stars to Carolinda Clatter!
The story that is Carolinda Clatter! is as beautifully and thoughtfully woven as the illustrations, bursting with originality and sensitivity like few other picture books. A giant, the last survivor of his kind, sees the moon floating in the heavens above, and he is spellbound by the awesome splendor of its beauty. The giant patiently courts the moon—not just for years, but for thousands upon thousands of years—yet the earth's glowing satellite becomes no less aloof, never succumbing in the slightest to the giant's romantic efforts. Finally run dry of all perseverance, the giant collapses onto his back and gives up, falling asleep and remaining in the same spot for so long that the earth grows over and around him, and he is swallowed up by greenery.
Untold years pass, and an entire town is erected on top of the land that the still-sleeping giant has become. The existence of the giant beneath the land has continued to be known through legend, however, and the people living there all take precautions not to awaken the slumbering giant with any undue noise...until, that is, Carolinda Clatter is born. Carolinda's spirit screams within her to make noise and to sing, and it is just her lovely singing that finally, after so long, arouses the giant from his deep sleep. The ground trembles as the giant shifts beneath, and it is up to Carolinda to make her way through the mountains and woods to speak to the giant and try to convince him to stay under the earth where he is. Perhaps the giant is loved now just how he is without having even known that he was being loved; perhaps the moon now even looks upon him in a brand new way. Maybe, after thousands of years of unhappiness, what Carolinda has to say to the giant can finally give him some lasting peace.
This is an exceptional story that excels in every way, and I would proudly recommend it to anyone that likes high-quality picture book literature. I would probably give two and a half stars to Carolinda Clatter!
January 8, 2012
This is an odd, but strangely reassuring tale about the solidness and security of the earth we live on. The story depicts a giant who professes his love to the moon, but unrequited, lays down to sleep for more than a hundred thousand years. In the meantime, people and animals have come to live on the giant and are fearful of waking him. When a loud little girl comes along and wakes the giant, the story comes to it's joyful conclusion. We enjoyed reading this story together.
August 31, 2013
"Once there was a giant who fell in love with the moon." What kid wouldn't want to hear a story with a first line like that?
November 8, 2016
Summary: In Carolinda Clatter, the book starts out with a giant that every night for thousands of years sings of his love to the moon, he begs and pleaded for the moon to just say anything back to him but she never did. So eventually he stops singing and just lays down for thousands of years crying, eventually he feel asleep. And as years passed he became covered in grass, his tears turning into waterfalls, animals came to live on him and eventually people came to live on him! But they did notice how it looked like a sleeping giant, so they stayed quiet. No one in the town was allowed to sing, cry. sneeze nothing was aloud because they were afraid to wake him. Until the night that Carolina Clatter was born, she came into their town wailing! They told her to stay quiet but the more they did that the louder she would be! As she grew up she continued to stay loud and she even woke the giant up one day! Her town tells her that she has to go apologize for being loud, when she finally makes it to the giant she is singing to calm herself down since she is nervous. The giant tells her how much he loves it and thinks it is beautiful she is so confused and thought he wouldn't, but he shares his story and love for singing and dancing for the moon and how this makes him want to get up! Carolinda pleads with him to not get up since her town is on him and he agrees but still worried about the moon, until she shares with him that every night the moon shines a beautiful silver on him to show how much she loves him.
Theme: I think the theme in this book has to do with being your self in a sense, because the people of Carolinda's town tried so hard for her to be quiet because that is what they thought the giant wanted but in the end it is her singing and the noise that she brought to they town that made him happier! And i feel this can be related to how sometimes in society we try to conform and be what we think it wants us to be when in reality we should just be ourselves because that is what people really like!
Personal Response: I can't personally relate to living on a giant, but there is one time in the book when it talks about asking Carolina to be quiet and she talks about how that just makes it harder for her to be quiet! And in many times on my life when I am laughing and then asked to be quiet but instead of stopping it makes me want to laugh more. I don't know what it is about that but i fell for a lot of people when they are told to stop it just makes them want to laugh more and be loud!
Recommendation: I would recommend this book for younger to mid elementary. The book is a simple read, lots of fun colors and illustrations.The colors of the illustrations help you understand the mood which I think is good for younger students to help them understand. For example when the giant is sad and crying all of the pictures are in different shades of blue. The text rhymes on some pages which would make it fun for students, and I think they would enjoy any book that tells them it is okay to be loud!
Theme: I think the theme in this book has to do with being your self in a sense, because the people of Carolinda's town tried so hard for her to be quiet because that is what they thought the giant wanted but in the end it is her singing and the noise that she brought to they town that made him happier! And i feel this can be related to how sometimes in society we try to conform and be what we think it wants us to be when in reality we should just be ourselves because that is what people really like!
Personal Response: I can't personally relate to living on a giant, but there is one time in the book when it talks about asking Carolina to be quiet and she talks about how that just makes it harder for her to be quiet! And in many times on my life when I am laughing and then asked to be quiet but instead of stopping it makes me want to laugh more. I don't know what it is about that but i fell for a lot of people when they are told to stop it just makes them want to laugh more and be loud!
Recommendation: I would recommend this book for younger to mid elementary. The book is a simple read, lots of fun colors and illustrations.The colors of the illustrations help you understand the mood which I think is good for younger students to help them understand. For example when the giant is sad and crying all of the pictures are in different shades of blue. The text rhymes on some pages which would make it fun for students, and I think they would enjoy any book that tells them it is okay to be loud!
March 28, 2023
Mordicai Gerstein has done it again: Delivering a soul-stirring picture book wrapped around a spiritual truth.
I can't begin to summarize this mythic tale, but I can tell you the essence: This book is magnificent.
What I Love Most about this Story
Some people are transformers. That's just how we're made.
Transforming others is what we do, even without trying. (For an example, you might google the term "Molecular Empaths" and sample what I've written about them.)
There are so many kinds of innate talent, or unusualness, which a person might have. Any of which would result in the kind of life exemplified here by this book's hero, Carolinda.
Her courage, as the story unfolds in this beautifully illustrated picture book; Carolinda's courage can help unusual folks of every kind awaken into more self-acceptance.
Beyond that, this story may even encourage a hard kind of trust to develop; a trust that our most unusual gifts -- however long it takes us to find a use for them -- can bring more truth into this world. Helping others as well as ourselves.
I can't begin to summarize this mythic tale, but I can tell you the essence: This book is magnificent.
What I Love Most about this Story
Some people are transformers. That's just how we're made.
Transforming others is what we do, even without trying. (For an example, you might google the term "Molecular Empaths" and sample what I've written about them.)
There are so many kinds of innate talent, or unusualness, which a person might have. Any of which would result in the kind of life exemplified here by this book's hero, Carolinda.
Her courage, as the story unfolds in this beautifully illustrated picture book; Carolinda's courage can help unusual folks of every kind awaken into more self-acceptance.
Beyond that, this story may even encourage a hard kind of trust to develop; a trust that our most unusual gifts -- however long it takes us to find a use for them -- can bring more truth into this world. Helping others as well as ourselves.
February 2, 2018
This is an amazing story. A giant is in love with the moon, and when she doesn’t return his affection he lays down and sleeps. He sleeps for so long, that he becomes a mountain with people living on his belly. The town is a quiet town, raised not to wake the mountain, until Carolinda Clatter is born, and music wakes the sleeping giant. A wonderful story with beautiful illustrations.
November 16, 2025
Magnificent! I live rather quietly, not far from the Sleeping Giant. His story, told in Mr. Gerstein's perfectly crafted words and enchanting Chagall-ish illustrations, is truly AMAZING.
Absolutely memorable.
Absolutely memorable.
March 8, 2017
This book was intriguing and different. The pictures and artwork were beautiful. Great for second or third grade classrooms.
May 31, 2017
A interesting problem solving story of a little girl who is very loud, a town and a giant.
June 18, 2018
Such an adorable book.
April 5, 2023
Mordicai is both the author and the illustrator. The story is fun and so are the illustrations.
Read
March 3, 2017This is about the myth of the sleeping giant that made the perfect place for a town to settle. the town stays quiet so not to wake the giant.
September 12, 2013
Picture Book Project
Category: Picture Book Soak
The town of Pupickton was a quiet place because of a legend that the land beneath and surrounding them was actually the body of a giant who laid down to cry hundreds of thousands of years ago because the moon would not love him back. When Carolinda Clatter is born she never stops making noise. Eventually she wakes the giant and the town folk send her to convince the giant to go back to sleep. She sings to herself to help her ease her fears and the giant likes this. He agrees to go back to sleep if Carolinda promises to sing to him every night. From now on the town of Pupickton can be as noisy as they want.
This is a great introduction into folk tales and legends and illustrates how legends are created. Students could then look at their local landscape and come up with their own legends about how the land was formed.
Mordicai Gerstein is an amazing illustrator who brings to life the story of a giant who had his heart broken by the moon and the little girl who helped him find peace. The images are dream like with scribbly sketches and what appears to be water color. The first few pages contain a framed image, yet the entire page appears to have painting all the way to the edges. After that the story is sped up over a hundred thousand years and the illustrations are three to a page and the painting outside of the frame gradually decreases until there is nothing but white left. After Carolinda visits the giant the area outside of the framed image is again given a painted effect.
When I picked up this book for my Picture Book Soak I had no idea I was going to love it so much. I have had to read it several times because I am so distracted by the beautiful illustrations. I cannot do it justice with words. The pen strokes remind me of Shel Silverstein, but the color takes it to a whole new level. This is a very visually pleasing book.
Category: Picture Book Soak
The town of Pupickton was a quiet place because of a legend that the land beneath and surrounding them was actually the body of a giant who laid down to cry hundreds of thousands of years ago because the moon would not love him back. When Carolinda Clatter is born she never stops making noise. Eventually she wakes the giant and the town folk send her to convince the giant to go back to sleep. She sings to herself to help her ease her fears and the giant likes this. He agrees to go back to sleep if Carolinda promises to sing to him every night. From now on the town of Pupickton can be as noisy as they want.
This is a great introduction into folk tales and legends and illustrates how legends are created. Students could then look at their local landscape and come up with their own legends about how the land was formed.
Mordicai Gerstein is an amazing illustrator who brings to life the story of a giant who had his heart broken by the moon and the little girl who helped him find peace. The images are dream like with scribbly sketches and what appears to be water color. The first few pages contain a framed image, yet the entire page appears to have painting all the way to the edges. After that the story is sped up over a hundred thousand years and the illustrations are three to a page and the painting outside of the frame gradually decreases until there is nothing but white left. After Carolinda visits the giant the area outside of the framed image is again given a painted effect.
When I picked up this book for my Picture Book Soak I had no idea I was going to love it so much. I have had to read it several times because I am so distracted by the beautiful illustrations. I cannot do it justice with words. The pen strokes remind me of Shel Silverstein, but the color takes it to a whole new level. This is a very visually pleasing book.
September 3, 2016
This is a spooky story, with the deep and resonant feel of a fairy tale. The imagery and pathos is vivid, and the set-up and resolution are very emotional. My complaints were 1) the male pining for an inaccessible woman that felt like another brick in the stereotype, and the fact that it is yet another fairy tale about (predominantly) white folk. But it did strive for some racial diversity, and a girl saves the day, so I will forgive its few transgressions. It definitely is a story that sticks with you afterwards.
January 15, 2012
Really enjoyed this book - has a great beginning-middle-end for figuring out the story. Carolinda is so cute and really struggles with the rules. After all is said and done, she really is a true hero! Great illustrations.
January 20, 2012
I thought this was a very neat book. There's a moral lesson of being brave, and also that it's okay to be different. I really enjoyed the incorporation of music through the story, since the giant sang dogs to the moon, and carolinda played music and sings to the giant.
September 12, 2013
The first thing that captivated me with this children's book was the beautiful illustrations. Initially the story began with the feeling of a mythological story, however the addition of the character Carolinda added much more depth to the plot. This would definitely engage the students.
December 3, 2016
I believe the illustrations are mixed media (ink outlines and shading with pastels). Interesting story about a giant that falls asleep and a town grows on top of him. The people are always quiet but Carolinda makes lots of noise and wakes him up.
October 31, 2010
I love reading this book aloud to the students in my library. Very poetic and lyrical.
December 6, 2011
What a beautiful story. Lovely illustrations and marvelous to read aloud. My whole family loved it.
May 15, 2013
One of my favorite read-aloud books for preschool classes. About a girl who just HAS TO MAKE NOISE, with a beautiful and surprising outcome.
September 17, 2013
I loved the illustrations in this book, and I thought the story was very original. This book is now one of my favorite children's picture books.
May 17, 2014
I thought this was a lovely read and the illustrations are beautiful
September 19, 2015
Reads like a traditional tale or a tall tale.
April 6, 2017
A book about a male giant whose disappointment over being romantically rejected could destroy an entire town. A small girl boosts his fragile ego, thus saving the day.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews