The Elves and the Shoemaker

From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 2-A newly illustrated version of the ever-satisfying tale of a poor shoemaker and his wife who become rich when elves create splendid shoes for them to sell, and who return the favor by making outfits for the elves. The text only alludes to Christmas, while the underlying theme explores kindness and giving. LaMarche's generously proportioned illustrations in acrylic washes and colored pencil feature substantial child-sized elves, who are "poorly shod" and wearing "raggedy sacks." (In other versions of the story, the elves are often as small as the shoes themselves or smaller.) The luminous pictures will project easily to the back of the storytime room, and the unembellished text moves the narrative along briskly. A good choice for those wishing to de-emphasize the religious aspects of the holiday.-S. P.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist PreS-Gr. 2. LaMarche, illustrator of Donna Jo Napoli's Albert (2001), provides appealing illustrations to accompany this retelling of Grimms' familiar tale in which two elves labor at night to save the day for a poor but kindly shoemaker and his wife. The text varies a little from the original. The elves (a boy and girl rather than two little men) aren't naked but dressed in "raggedy sacks." Still, the main elements of the story are intact, and readers will find plenty to like in LaMarche's interpretation. The illustrations, done in acrylic washes with colored pencils, depict a cozy Old World setting inhabited by rosy-cheeked, individualized characters. These scenes are suffused in a glow that seems warm, golden, and benevolent. Children and adults alike will enjoy the story, beautifully realized in the beguiling artwork. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved LaMarche creates a set of honey-toned illustrations that make the familiar Grimm tale less an odd encounter with the supernatural than a warm-hearted exchange of gifts. Aside from clothing the elves, he makes no major change to the plot. Finely made shoes that are cobbled mysteriously each night from leather left on his worktable turn a shoemaker's fortunes around: one night, as Christmas approaches, he and his wife hide out, and spy two elves - depicted as merry-eyed, touseld children dressed in rough burlap - creeping through the window to do the deed. At his wife's suggestion, they make tiny new outfits for their benefactors, who delightedly skip about the room and out the door. Set in an old style, very well-kept town with cobbled streets, but bicycles and electricity too, this timeless tale will leave readers suffused with the pleasure of seeing gifts received and appreciated. - Kirkus Reviews, starred review As in his award-winning book The Rainbabies , LaMarche sets every picture glowing, whether with lamplight, starlight, shafts of morning sunlight or just some inner light that all the characters in this kindliest of tales seem to possess. - The Washington Post Jim LaMarche is the award-winning illustrator of 12 picture books (including The Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed) and the author-illustrator of two (The Raft and The Elves and the Shoemaker). He grew up in Kewaskum, Wisconsin, and now lives in California with his wife and three sons. Read more