Paper John (Sunburst Book)
by David Small
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A good-hearted fellow who lives by the sea in a paper house and makes paper boats for the village children comes up against the devil in a life or death situation which can be salvaged only by his skill with paper folding.Tags
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When a somewhat eccentric paper-folding man named John comes to a little village by the sea, the residents are charmed by his lovely creations, from folded paper flowers, to a tiny fleet of paper boats (distributed to the village children), and are soon won over by his gentle, kindhearted nature. Dubbing the newcomer "Paper John," they accept him (and his extraordinary paper house - lacquered, in order to make it waterproof) into their community. When a gray demon is fished out of the water, and wreaks havoc on the village, they have reason to be thankful for this decision, as Paper John, and his house-cum-boat come to the rescue...
Although I have read quite a few children's books illustrated by the talented David Small - Sarah show more Stewart's The Library, and The Gardener, Elise Broach's When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, Heather Henson's That Book Woman - this is only the second title, following upon the classic Imogene's Antlers (a personal favorite!), that I have read that is both written and illustrated by him. I found the story charming, with its fairy-tale feeling - the stranger who comes to town, the defeat of the devil/demon figure, by a seemingly "simple" hero: these are common folk motifs - and charming artwork. Some of the visual details - the changing expression on the sun-face kite that Paper John is making, before and after the arrival of the demon - are really quite droll! Recommended to young readers who enjoy fairy-tales, and to fans of David Small. show less
Although I have read quite a few children's books illustrated by the talented David Small - Sarah show more Stewart's The Library, and The Gardener, Elise Broach's When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, Heather Henson's That Book Woman - this is only the second title, following upon the classic Imogene's Antlers (a personal favorite!), that I have read that is both written and illustrated by him. I found the story charming, with its fairy-tale feeling - the stranger who comes to town, the defeat of the devil/demon figure, by a seemingly "simple" hero: these are common folk motifs - and charming artwork. Some of the visual details - the changing expression on the sun-face kite that Paper John is making, before and after the arrival of the demon - are really quite droll! Recommended to young readers who enjoy fairy-tales, and to fans of David Small. show less
Pacing is all off, as the 'battle' between the artist and the devil is far too facile & brief. Concept, language, and art work are all charming, though.
Paper John can make anything out of paper: a hat, flower bouquet, house, boats and more. One night a little devil is tied up outside the window; Paper John rescues him and shares food and lodging. The devil steals from the townspeople and attempts an escape on Paper John's kite. Trapped, the devil calls on the four winds to destroy the town. Paper John proves himself to be heroic, while the devil goes 'back to where he came from.' The story is complemented by the colorful illustrations.
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17+ Works 6,171 Members
David Small was born on February 12, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan. He studied art and English at Wayne State University, and went on to complete graduate studies in art at Yale. After receiving his MFA degree, he taught drawing and printmaking at the State University of New York, Fredonia College, Kalamazoo College, and the University of Michigan. show more He also created editorial cartoons for publications such as the New Yorker, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. In the 1980s, he lost his teaching job due to cutbacks. It was then that he committed himself to combining his loves of writing and art. His first picture book, Eulalie and the Hopping Head, was published in 1981. He earned a 1997 Caldecott Honor and The Christopher Medal for The Gardener, written by his wife, Sarah Stewart. In 2001, he received the Caldecott Medal for his artwork in So, You Want To Be President? by Judith St. George. His editorial drawings regularly appear in publications such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, GQ, and The Washington Post. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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