GREATEST
OF ALL
A JAPANESE FOLKTALE
Retold by
ERIC A. KIMMEL
Illustrated by
GIORA CARMI
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Kimmel, Eric A., Retold. 1991. THE GREATEST OF ALL: A Japanese Folktale. Ill. By Giora Carmi. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0-8234-0885-X
PLOT SUMMARY:
Father Mouse was well-dressed and well-groomed and since he lived in an emperor’s palace with his family, and had the finest food from the emperor’s table, and even dressed in fine silks from the emperor’s wardrobe, he believed himself to be a “splendid mouse indeed.”What happens when his “pretty daughter” Chuko asks to marry a simple field mouse name Ko Nezumi. “Please say yes, Otosan. Please.” She pleads. But that will not do for his daughter, for she has to have the greatest of all and he sets out to see the emperor, who he thinks is the best of all.
Father Mouse goes on a journey to find the “greatest of all” as a husband for his daughter and is shocked to find out “who” really is “the greatest of all”.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This is a charming Japanese folktale retold by Eric Kimmel. The language used throughout the book captivates readers with the flow and feel as if they were in Japan. Although this story was retold, Kimmel keeps the mood and feel of the tale. Readers are introduced to words like “Otosan,” and Osama-san,” as well as “Ko-Nezumi.” In the “author’s note, “ Kimmel reveals “the source of “The Greatest of All” is “The Wedding Mouse” in Yochiko Uchida’s fine collection of Japanese stories, “The Dancing Kettle.” He goes on to say that “Gerald McDermott’s “Stonecutter” is another variation of the same tale. Readers may wish to compare the two, which in classic Zen fashion illustrate the power of patience and humility, but in strikingly different ways.”
Giora Garmi’s beautiful illustrations throughout add a very Japanese feel to the book. His character’s are adorable and the landscape are very serene. Together Kimmel and Garmi have made this tale very entertaining to read.
REVIEW EXCERPTS:
From Publishers Weekly
Kimmel ( Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock ; Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins ) concisely retells this pleasant if low-key tale of a self-important mouse who lives in the emperor's palace and dresses in fine silk. He refuses to allow his daughter to marry a humble field mouse, announcing that whomever she marries "must be the greatest of all." His quest to find the individual who fits this description begins with the emperor, who sends him to bright Sun, who defers to Cloud, who insists that Wind is far greater than he: "When Wind blows, clouds scatter." In the end, of course, the mouse discovers that it is not these powerful forces but the hard-working field mouse who deserves his daughter's hand. Warm colors and distinctive texture mark Carmi's ( And Shira Imagined ; The Chanukkah Guest ) illustrations, which include effective renderings of the anthropomorphic natural elements. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
In this smooth retelling of ``The Wedding of the Mouse,'' from Uchida's classic The Dancing Kettle (1947), Father Mouse approaches the emperor as the greatest possible bridegroom for his daughter. Not so, says the emperor: the sun can make him seek shade. The mouse pursues his quest from sun to cloud to wind to wall, only to have the wall demur like the others: one day the tunneling field mouse will bring him down, he says, so the mouse maiden is allowed to wed her own beloved after all. Carmi uses tall frames and details of dress to suggest a Japanese setting; her style is lively and accessible but undistinguished, the illustrations' muted tomato-soup borders more distracting than harmonious. Still, an acceptable setting for a good story. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-10) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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