Rip van winkle

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

One autumn day, Rip Van Winkle wandered into the hills, and his life was never the same again. After encountering a group of mysterious men, he took a nap so long that upon waking, he found his gun rusty and his beard grown a foot long! Washington Irving's classic tale of the man who slept for twenty years, first published in 1819, was masterfully interpreted in 1905 by Arthur Rackham. The art for this book established Rackham as the leading illustrator of his time. This deluxe edition beautifully reproduces 31 of Rackham's exquisite watercolors, making the perfect gift for all ages.

Excerpt provided by Syndetics

You are probably familiar with the popularized stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but have you read the original unabridged versions by Washington Irving? His skillfully written and colorful tales have much more meaning and depth. In Rip Van Winkle he makes a profound social comment about the changes happening in his America, and Sleepy Hollow isn't just a chilling tale about the Headless Horseman but an enchanting story about two rival suitors. Equally enjoyable tales of suspense and supernatural included in this collection are: The Spectre Bridegroom, The Adventure of the German Student, The Devil and Tom Walker, The Adventure of the Mason, Legend of the Rose of Alhambra, The Governor and the Notary, and Governor Manco and the Soldier.This collection will demonstrate just why Washington Irving is widely recognized as the Father of American Literature Excerpted from Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Howe, working in a style that is just as realistic as Locker's (see above), highlights the comic gifts of Irving's story: his Rip waves jauntily to a scarecrow, sneaks away from the house unaware that a stern Dame Van Winkle looks on and, in one frame, is seen scrambling out the door away from the shrewish, pointing finger of his wife (the rest of her is offstage). Henry Hudson's crew are a wild-eyed, caricatured bunch; Rip, upon awakening, has ivy and brambles clinging to his hat and pants, and his beard sails down past his knees. He returns to his village and is mistaken for a soldier of the American revolution; but soon settles into a serene life with his daughter and is lastly shown carving from wood the figures of the small men from his ``night'' on the mountain. This is a vivid piece of storytelling, which takes full advantage of the atmospheric Catskill setting. Howe good-spiritedly taps the elements of the tale that make it an American favorite. Ages 4-8. (September) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-5-Told in an amicable storytelling style, this edition of the classic story is full of engaging figurative language. The colloquial expressions blend with the historical Dutch background of the tale, and make it more cheerful than the version adapted and illustrated by Thomas Locker (Dial, 1988). Here, the comical characters are reminiscent of the ``Katzenjammer Kids''-quite a contrast to Locker's sedate, serene oil paintings. Meyerowitz illustrates events in U.S. history-the Revolution, Constitution, and George Washington-revealing the time frame of Rip's nap for young readers. His introduction is somewhat misleading, however, for he intimates that Henry Hudson and his men sailed north up the now Hudson River on the Dutch ship Half Moon until they disappeared, and so they still haunt this area. Actually, it was during a later trip to Hudson Bay that the crew mutinied and set Hudson ashore, never to be seen again. This contradiction does not affect the delightful retelling of this fine old tale. Share it for sheer enjoyment or to humanize social-studies units.-Betty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Gr. 3^-5. A companion volume to Moses' edition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1995), this book retells, in somewhat simplified language, Irving's classic tale of Rip Van Winkle, who fell asleep in the Catskills one evening and awoke 20 years later. Oil paintings appear on nearly every page of this large-format book, which includes a double-page spread portraying the hero's awakening. Like his great-grandmother Grandma Moses, the artist paints in a folk art style that may appeal to adults more than to children. Recommended for collections needing illustrated versions of the tale. --Carolyn Phelan

Horn Book Review

This new edition of Rackham's original 1905 version features color backgrounds for each of the fifty detailed illustrations, some of which are placed out of context with the narrative. The text is a direct reproduction from the first edition in both content and appearance. An attractive and worthwhile volume. From HORN BOOK 1993, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

Two handsomely illustrated retellings of this classic regional ghost story--both considerably shorter than the original. Despite occasional lapses, Locker's text is formal, even elegant in places, while Howe's condensation has an easier, more natural flow and preserves some of Irving's language. As usual, Locker's serene, romantic landscapes overwhelm the story they're supposed to illustrate; small and rather crude-looking human figures walk inconsequentially among majestic wooded hills, and viewers are invited to admire scenic vistas, magnificent skies, or individual trees ablaze with autumn color. Howe's paintings capture the beauty of the Catskills in a more sharply detailed way: the bright skies and misty green hills are there, but the reader's eye is drawn to twigs and tufts and fairy rings in the foreground. More important, Rip and the other characters, in carefully drawn period costume and with lively, often beautiful faces, add plenty of energy and sly humor to the narrative. Both illustrators paint in derivative styles; Locker's work has been compared to the Hudson River school, and Howe pays affectionate tribute to Norman Rockwell, Arthur Rackham, the Brothers Hildebrandt, and others of that ilk. Two fine showcases for accomplished artists, and younger readers will be drawn to either; but libraries should be aware that Morrow's reissue of the full text, with N.C. Wyeth's classic illustrations, has recently been made available. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.