The Elves and Shoemaker

November 17, 2003
This retelling in unvarnished prose stays true to the Grimm tale; the book's strength comes from LaMarche's (The Rainbabies
) colored-pencil illustrations, which exude the sense of wonder that the elves inspire in the shoemaker and his wife. In traditional versions, the shoemaker's poverty is keenly drawn, but LaMarche soft-pedals the anguish of the German original and cuts right to the elves' good deeds. The shoemaker and his wife wear their years well, with crinkly crow's-feet around their eyes and attractive silver hair, and the elves provide them with a marvelous pair of shoes by the second page ("The next morning, when the couple went into the workshop, they were flabbergasted by what they found"). Soon the villagers line the cobblestone streets to place their orders. A wordless spread of the elves—a wild-haired girl and an apple-cheeked boy—at their work conveys the joy they take in their labor of love. The drawing seems so realistic that viewers will be tempted to reach out and touch the duo's little pointed ears. Ages 4-8.

October 1, 2003
K-Gr 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 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2003
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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2004
LaMarche retells the familiar Grimm brothers' story of a poor shoemaker. The text retains much of the flavor of the original tale, but LaMarche adds details and simplifies some of the phrases found in many translations. In this version, the elves are not naked--they wear rags, thus the gift of clothing loses some of its impact. LaMarche paints dreamy, cherubic elves and an appealing shoemaker.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)