The Giant Turnip (Russian-English)

Author: Henriette Barkow
Illustrated by: Richard Johnson
Paperback: 24 page(s)
Age Range: 3 - 8
Ontario curriculum: Language - Reading

Book Description:

This traditional story is set in an inner city school where the children have grown an enormous turnip! How can they pull it out? First the boys try and then the girls but the turnip will not move. They all try together but the turnip still will not budge. Can Larry save the day?

Books for keeps
A good reworking of a familiar tale - transposed to a school setting which draw young children to relate to it more readily. There is a naive, child-like quality to the beautifully coloured illustrations, some of which go across a double page spread. Some of the children's ideas on how to pull the turnip out are illustrated in fuzzy-edged though bubbles. Of course, at the end, as in the original tale, it's the help of one more little person that makes the difference. The size of print and layout of both texts in this title is pleasingly unfussy and clear. A lovely book for yearly years classrooms.