Étienne Delessert (1941–2024)

Walking his dog one September evening, the narrator of this surreal picture-book encounters his cat Pluto driving an antique car. Attached to the car are ten wooden flatbeds, each one playing host to an unusual occupant. From the heads of three famous poets to the mad dogs howling off-key, from the lion jumping through a ring of fire to the black swan hissing at a company of dwarves, the scenes witnessed by the narrator are beautiful and dreamlike. They are his night circus...

I have show more encountered the artwork of Etienne Delessert before, in illustrated picture-book retellings of well-known fairy-tales, but Night Circus is the first book I have picked up where he was both author and artist. As I expected, I found the illustrations here quite appealing, with the stylized, surrealistic forms, and the artist's adept use of light, shadow, and color. That said, although the story concept is interesting, in that dream-like way, I'm not sure it makes enough of a narrative to really work, when reading to children. Perhaps I'm underestimating the child audience - something I rail against myself - but I do wonder how this one would actually work, in a story-time setting. Recommended chiefly to admirers of the artist, and to those looking for quirky, dream-like picture-books. show less

Spartacus the spider is a failure. Flies laugh at him, his webs fall apart, and he hasn't lived up to the grand and exciting name his parents chose. So, with some inspiration from human scientists, he sets out to build the strongest and best thread ever...and succeeds. Then he worries that everything in the world will get caught in his unbreakable web and all life will end so he goes back to spinning his sloppy, useless threads and being "simply Spartacus". Huh? No, I don't know what to make show more of this one either. Review copy provided by Creative Editions. show less

I liked this book. The main idea is the life after happily ever after for Snow White and the surprise twist the queen has in store for her. I enjoyed the point of view of the dwarfs in this story. Throughout the pages there are mini pictures to describe what is happening in those paragraphs. For example, the dwarfs are being knighted for saving Snow White. The image shows seven dwarfs with a long sword help by a king’s hand. This image represents the knighting scene of that page. There are show more many connecting images. The illustrations are also very large and colorful. There are a few pages with no words and just pictures to tell the story. I also like the font change and opening sentences of the new sections. With each day ending the story begins with a classic traditional fantasy opener. For example, “It all began thirteen years ago,” each heading is a setting/time starter for the next section of the book. I really enjoyed this book. show less

Reviewed by Me for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com

In this clever retelling of the The Three Little Pigs, Wolf is a character larger than life. He is as tall as the moon, eats every
animal in his way, wears the skin of cats as a hat, and even has birds who clean his shiny, spiky teeth at night!

No matter what type of plan the other animals come up with, nothing can stop Wolf. Until one day, when two cats come up with a scheme to use three cute, plump pink pigs to lure Wolf into a trap.

The first house show more they make, of twigs and straw, comes down easily -- but the pigs have escaped through a trap door! The second house, made of logs, also comes down -- but no pigs! It's not until the Wolf finds the pigs (and other animal guests) at home in their third new house, made of bricks, that things get a little too hot to handle!

This is a fun retelling of the story known by all, with very well-done illustrations. It's a bit scarier than the original version, though, so some young children might not like it as a bed time read! show less