Spain
146
Ballesteros, Xosé (text/transl.)
Olmos, Roger (illus.)
Tío Lobo (Uncle Wolf)
Pontevedra : Kalandraka, 2000. - [36] p.
(Libros para soñar)
ISBN 84-8464-042-6
(Orig. text Galician)
Wolf - Little Red Riding Hood - Trick <fun> - Fear
This parody of Little Red Riding Hood drastically illustrates the risks
of unbridled gluttony. The heroine, wearing a cap in the shape of a giant
strawberry, has a sweet (but also rather vicious) tooth and raids »Uncle
Wolf's« food basket while trying to outwit the old fellow by exchanging the
goodies with donkey droppings and tepid water. A bad conscience and fear
follow, but too late: In the dark of the night, the angry wolf comes down the
chimney. The story's grotesque humour and its unrelentingly rising tension are
congenially captured by the double-spread illustrations. They are funny, wild,
vivid, and excessive. Rich colours, daring perspectives, and the play with
light and shadow heighten the dynamic effect. (5+)
Special Mention
147
Grimm, Jacob / Grimm, Wilhelm (text)
Hidalgo, Herrín (select.)
Dumas, Oliveiro (illus.)
Gálvez, Pedro (transl.)
El señor Korbes y otros cuentos de Grimm (Mr. Korbes and other Grimm tales)
Valencia : Media Vaca, 2001. - 155 p.
(Media vaca ; 9)
ISBN 84-932004-0-9
Fairytales
Do you know the fairytale of Mister Korbes? Never heard of it? Then pick
up this anthology of rather unknown treasures from the Grimm fairytales, and
get to meet an artist who has illustrated these tales in an exceptionally
witty, unconventional way. Oliveiro Dumas' furious mix of caricaturesque
drawings, irreverent cartoons, and daring collage elements brings out the
often neglected subversive, hardly childlike, gruesome side of the truly »Grimm«
texts. Take a close look to discover all those bizarre details, hidden visual
puns, and clever allusions - you're sure to appreciate, for example, the
monstrous eruption of »Sweet porridge« in the shape of a mushroom cloud or
Augusto Pinochet in the role of the evil one in »The peasant and the devil«.
A few years ago, the publishing house Media Vaca started producing a small,
fine series with new and newly discovered texts, high-quality illustrations,
and aesthetic, bibliophile design. Buy, read, and hold on to it! (6+)
148
Juan, José Luis de
Recordando a Lampe (Memories of Lampe)
Madrid : Ed. SM, 2001. - 203 p.
(Gran angular ; 216)
ISBN 84-348-8103-9
Kant, Immanuel - Prussia/1800
In February 1802, the philosopher Immanuel Kant dismissed his domestic
Martin Lampe, who had served him for almost 40 years. Using this event as his
point of departure, the author, well-known for his adult fiction, has created
a highly entertaining novel, ingeniously intertwining fact and fiction. The
story follows the further fate of Lampe, who had endured his eccentric master
for decades; embittered by his dismissal, he now nourishes feelings of
vengeance against his successor. Apart from developing a gripping plot, the
novel offers a vivid portrait of life in Kant's hometown, Königsberg, Eastern
Prussia, some 200 years ago. (14+) (Premio Gran Angular ; 2000)
149
Martín Garzo, Gustavo (text)
Gabán, Jesús (illus.)
Una miga de pan (A bread-crumb)
Madrid : Ed. Siruela, 2000. - 126pp
(Las tres edades ; 77)
ISBN 84-7844-526-9
Animals - Dog - Love - Hate - Will to live
Little puppy Tana is just over a few weeks old when her mother dies. »Life
is hard«, her mother admits, but she trusts in the intelligence of her pup;
she knows that on the night of her birth, a fox »infected« Tana with that
cleverness still sparkling in her eyes. Following this sad but beautiful and
touching beginning, a tale full of unsuspected turns unfolds - a literary
surprise packet somewhere between fable and fairytale. It is a story about the
conflict between love and hate and about humans, who fight for one or the
other side. Keeping in line with the previous books by the well-known author,
the narrative is powerful and emotional. (12+)
150
Moure Trenor, Gonzalo (text)
Martín Godoy, Fernando (illus.)
Maíto Panduro <proper name>
Zaragoza : Edelvives, 2001. - 93 p.
(Ala delta ; 244 : Serie verde)
ISBN 84-263-4615-4
Sinti and Roma - Gypsies - Ethnic minority - Social outcast - Father –
Son
Maíto, ten-year-old son of a gypsy-family, lives with his parents and
siblings in poor conditions on the outskirts of a small town. When his father
Elías is taken to prison for a crime he never committed, an unusual
communication begins: Maíto draws and sends pictures to the prison, while his
illiterate father answers with similar »visual letters«. A dialogue without
words unfolds, sustained by mutual affection and the longing for freedom.
Related with great empathy, this father-son story has found an unusual and
expressive way to open a new perspective on the troublesome relations between
majority populations and their disdained minorities. (10+)
(Premio Ala Delta ; 2001)
151
Nesquens, Daniel (text)
Arguilé, Elisa (illus.)
Hasta (casi) 100 bichos
([Almost] 100 beasts)
Madrid : Anaya, 2001. - 207 p.
ISBN 84-667-0853-7
Animals
This highly amusing and imaginative bestiary features almost 100 entries
in alphabetical order. The literary Noah's Ark is populated by a beastly lot
of peculiar and unexpected species: Just when the animals start looking
familiar, puns, surreal connotations and nonsense distort them. It may even
happen that new species make their appearance among »normal« animals like
the pig, the snail, or the whale - as is the case for the screwdriver. This
delightful book is sure to captivate its readers with its spirited,
light-hearted, and playful language. The small-format illustrations in
different shades of brown at the beginning of each story perfectly complement
this bestial collection of curious creatures. (14+)