John Yeoman (1) (1934–2024)

This is a one man went to mow, swallowed a spider kind of book. Rumbelow is great fun - there used to be a firm called Rumbelows. I remember seeing their vans all over the place. This Rumbelow is full of fun. Even more than that, it is boisterous, rambunctious even. It uplifts the soul and brings a smile to the face. It is good to read at a time of Coronavirus although the lack of social distancing is disturbing.

John Yeoman's book, "The Wild Washerwomen," bills itself as a folktale, but I found it to be lacking in resolution and specific cultural relevance. Folktales usually serve as vehicle for conveying culturally specific lore or customs across generations. While "Washerwomen" is an interesting story, it does not explain a cultural theme or lesson that I can see. The story is about seven washerwomen who hate their job, quit, and go on a rampage through town. I found the resolution to be somewhat show more unsatisfying as it held no one accountable for the misdeeds committed during the story. However, it is funny and interesting as a story, and Quentin Blake's illustrations are colorful and humorous. For these reasons alone, I would recommend this as an addition to a public library collection. The reading level is appropriate for early to middle elementary. show less

Cute. A heron and a crane keep asking each other to marry, but keep getting very easily offended. Spoiler alert! They never got married and are probably still there today, dithering and getting their feathers in a ruffle. So I liked the ending. (And, there's no reason why you can't regender to your heart's content to have a same-gender relationship.)

Cute. A heron and a crane keep asking each other to marry, but keep getting very easily offended. Spoiler alert! They never got married and are probably still there today, dithering and getting their feathers in a ruffle. So I liked the ending. (And, there's no reason why you can't regender to your heart's content to have a same-gender relationship.)