The Turnip

Starred review from August 17, 2015
Brett follows Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella with another trip to Mother Russia, where a badger family has discovered a huge turnip growing in their garden. As snow begins to fall, they realize that the freak vegetable could be the source of many tasty turnip dishes during the long winter. But no one can get the turnip to budge, even as the four family members and assorted animal passersby form an ever-growing turnip extraction conga line. Then Rooster, who “had just had a close call with a cooking pot and was looking for a new home,” offers his help. Thanks to a clever twist that diverges from the original Russian folktale (and that only readers can see), “the turnip flew out of the ground with Rooster riding high.” This is good old-fashioned storytelling, as deeply satisfying as “turnip pancakes browned in butter for all.” Brett’s customary visual sumptuousness evokes Russian folk art, while also providing readers with narrative “Easter Eggs”—if they pay close attention to the action that unfolds in the two turnip-shaped frames that flank the main images. Ages 3–5.

September 1, 2015
A classic Russian tale gets Brett's signature artwork and a twist ending. When Badger Girl finds a giant turnip in the vegetable patch, she immediately starts thinking of all the tasty things that could be made with a turnip that size. But she can't pull it out, not even with the assistance of Badger Boy, Mother Badger, or Father Badger, each new character heralded in the recto vignette on the previous page. Passing friends-Hedgie, Mr. Ram, and Vanya, the horse-join in, one by one, as the snowflakes signaling winter's arrival start to fall, but even all pulling together, they can't manage it. A rooster who had a narrow escape from a cooking pot happens by. Meanwhile, a mother bear and two cubs, whom observant readers have been watching in the vignettes on the versos, climb into their winter den to hibernate only to find a giant turnip in their bed. Well, their pushing and Rooster's pulling coincide to pop the turnip out, and it's turnip pancakes for those aboveground, sleep for the bears, and an honorary home for Rooster. Brett brings the Russian countryside setting to life. Her anthropomorphized animals wear clothing in shades of blues, white, and reds, and the patterns are beautiful. The wooden fences and house are elaborately carved, and Brett's borders are highly detailed, many times looking like carved wood. Another Brett winner to add to the shelf. (Picture book. 3-7)

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