Dieter Schubert

A little witch named Irma, sad that her big feet make her a target for teasing, runs away from her witch's colony and ends up in the home of a young girl named Laura in this delightful picture-book. Laura, unhappy with her own large ears, is sympathetic to Irma's troubles, and helps her to feel better about her outsized feet. When Irma eventually returns to her fellow witches, she leaves Laura with a precious gift: the ability to fly...

Originally published in the Netherlands as Platvoetje, show more this wonderfully witchy book from husband-and-wife team Ingrid and Dieter Schubert pairs a marvelously imaginative story with appealing artwork. Apparently the Schuberts, who are expatriate Germans living and publishing in the Netherlands, share the storytelling and illustrative work equally between them, and together they have created a charming little book! I particularly loved the scene in which all the witches are searching for Irma, in their treetop village:



Little Big Feet is the first title I have read from the Schuberts, and I might never have discovered it, if I didn't have an interest in witchy picture-books. I'm glad that I did, both for its own sake, and because I hope to track down other stories from this pair. Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy witchy tales. show less

When Macrobius the Magician begins casting spells on all of the animals of Shady Forest, said creatures are none too pleased. Each one now has an appendage - wings on Frog, duck feet on Fox - he doesn't want. It is Hedgehog who comes up with a solution, in the end, convincing the animals to follow his plan to scare Macrobius straight...

Originally published in the Netherlands under the same title, Abracadabra is the second magical picture-book from husband-and-wife team Ingrid and Dieter show more Schubert that I have read, following upon their Little Big Feet. It pairs an entertaining tale of magical hijinks gone awry with lovely illustrations that capture both the enchantment of the tale, and the animals' somewhat comical condition. There was even a reference to the witch of Little Big Feet, who appears in the illustrations here, in the scenes inside Macrobius' castle. Recommended to young picture-book readers who enjoy tales of magic and fantasy. show less

When Peggy tells her parents that there is a crocodile under her bed, they don't believe her, rushing out for their dinner date. Henry the crocodile is very real though, and the two spend a happy evening together, taking a bath, playing games, and making a toy crocodile out of egg cartoons. Henry lulls Peggy to sleep by telling her his history: how he was a mischievous young crocodile who was banished to the human world because he played one prank too many, and how he will only be allowed show more back when he help 1000 human children...

Originally published in the Netherlands in 1980 as Er ligt een krokodil onder mijn bed!, this was husband-and-wife team Ingrid and Dieter Schubert's first picture-book. A German couple who live and published in the Netherlands, they have created many books together, and have apparently created two versions of There's a Crocodile Under My Bed!. The one I read, which appears to be the original, has fairly muted illustrations, and features characters named Peggy and Henry. The newer edition, issued in 2014 (2015 in English) seems to have more colorful artwork, and characters named Sophie and Carl. I'll have to see if I can track down a copy of the later version, to see if there are more significant differences. Leaving that aside, I enjoyed the story here, which offers a reassuring and playful take on the classic childhood fear of bogies under the bed. Mercer Mayer's There's an Alligator Under My Bed would be a classic American example, but I am glad to have encountered this Dutch/German one as well. Recommended to anyone seeking reassuring bedtime tales for the picture-book set. show less

Gorgeous art that makes the adventure seem plausible. Easy to 'read' even for those of us who have trouble with wordless stories. Well, except for the perpetuation of the myth that whales exhale water (which doesn't even make sense, so I've no idea how that started). Such a charmer. I will continue to consider more by the Schuberts.