We LOVE "King Bidgood's In The Bathtub"! The Cute Gremlins think it is hilarious! The King is having fun in his giant, bubbly, massive bathtub and refuses to get out. So all the court has to move whatever plans they had going that day- yep! Into the tub! I immediately thought of Lauren at American Duchess when I saw the fashions of the court as they waited in the hallway, trying to coax King Bidgood away from his bubble-bathy buffoonery.
[Edit/Update: I tagged Lauren on Facebook that I'd written this post and posed a question. This is her reply: "lol! Well I think the illustrator knew/knows fashion history! Very impressive, that's not so far off what Elizabethan women were wearing under their skirts :-D"]
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A poor widow with seven children must go to the market and leave the children alone at home (think Europe mid 18th or 19th century/Grimms tales kind of setting). While she is gone, the witch Heckedy Peg comes and tricks them, and they are transformed into food. By remembering what her children had asked for from the market, the mother was able to correctly guess which child had been turned into what food and save them from the witch.
This is my favorite image from Heckedy Peg, because I've known the love and strong maternal instincts that turn the poor widow into a fearsome and formidable force to be reckoned with when she is protecting her children.
That stance and body language? Just about every mom in the world, including me, has been there and done that and will on keep doing it, whenever and if ever the need arises. But the illustration of her doing it gives me added courage. This is a scary world to raise babies in, even without hungry witches named Heckedy Peg.
I'd like to find more books at the library that are illustrated by Don Wood. If I happen upon any soon, I'll be sure to post an edit!
Good illustrations are so very, very important in children's literature. They retell the story in a parallel way to the words, Great choice of book!
ReplyDeleteI love children's literature.