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mat_tobin's review against another edition
3.0
One of the most nonsensical and oddest books that I have read. Two sisters, Elsie and Theo discover on their way to school a tiny walrus trapped in a walnut shell. Grateful for their help, Benny the walrus shares his desire to be back at sea and the girls do all that they can to ensure it happens.
The narrative itself is odd and spartan at times with a poem and storyline reminiscent of something Carrollesque and it seems that Bradford lets Hanawalt's illustrations do the talking instead. With a dust-jacket that folds out into a huge, bizzare epilogue to the story and a cover embossed with golden slugs this is not your average over-sized picturebook.
Yet the story of the children creating a vessel for Benny and the odd creatures which watch the proceedings are going to enthrall and entertain the child reader. As if in testament to this, my second hand copy has scrawled in pen on the endpapers 'tis is a fune storry'. Not only it is a funny story but is also refreshing having one in which girls clamber up trees, play with slugs and are most happy when they're down in the grass building, crafting and closely looking at all the little creatures around them.
The narrative itself is odd and spartan at times with a poem and storyline reminiscent of something Carrollesque and it seems that Bradford lets Hanawalt's illustrations do the talking instead. With a dust-jacket that folds out into a huge, bizzare epilogue to the story and a cover embossed with golden slugs this is not your average over-sized picturebook.
Yet the story of the children creating a vessel for Benny and the odd creatures which watch the proceedings are going to enthrall and entertain the child reader. As if in testament to this, my second hand copy has scrawled in pen on the endpapers 'tis is a fune storry'. Not only it is a funny story but is also refreshing having one in which girls clamber up trees, play with slugs and are most happy when they're down in the grass building, crafting and closely looking at all the little creatures around them.
pwbalto's review against another edition
5.0
But while Symphony City and We Need a Horse are perhaps best enjoyed by grownups, Benny's Brigade is just as fanciful and engaging as could be. The author, Arthur Bradford, has done a lot of work in documentary film, and I think that accounts for the organic way that the story seems to unreel. Course alterations and changes in scene seem to follow the meandering of a child's thoughts; the illustrations are precise and natural in a way that makes you want to stop and examine everything more closely.
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2012/08/bennys-brigade-by-arthur-bradford-pictures-by-lisa-hanawalt-review.html
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2012/08/bennys-brigade-by-arthur-bradford-pictures-by-lisa-hanawalt-review.html
briface's review against another edition
5.0
Fun picture book, imaginative, creative and a bit weird.
whitneymj's review
1.0
Anthropomorphic walruses bring to mind the Kevin Smith movie "Tusk" so this one was a big NO for me.
mat_tobin's review
3.0
One of the most nonsensical and oddest books that I have read. Two sisters, Elsie and Theo discover on their way to school a tiny walrus trapped in a walnut shell. Grateful for their help, Benny the walrus shares his desire to be back at sea and the girls do all that they can to ensure it happens.
The narrative itself is odd and spartan at times with a poem and storyline reminiscent of something Carrollesque and it seems that Bradford lets Hanawalt's illustrations do the talking instead. With a dust-jacket that folds out into a huge, bizzare epilogue to the story and a cover embossed with golden slugs this is not your average over-sized picturebook.
Yet the story of the children creating a vessel for Benny and the odd creatures which watch the proceedings are going to enthrall and entertain the child reader. As if in testament to this, my second hand copy has scrawled in pen on the endpapers 'tis is a fune storry'. Not only it is a funny story but is also refreshing having one in which girls clamber up trees, play with slugs and are most happy when they're down in the grass building, crafting and closely looking at all the little creatures around them.
The narrative itself is odd and spartan at times with a poem and storyline reminiscent of something Carrollesque and it seems that Bradford lets Hanawalt's illustrations do the talking instead. With a dust-jacket that folds out into a huge, bizzare epilogue to the story and a cover embossed with golden slugs this is not your average over-sized picturebook.
Yet the story of the children creating a vessel for Benny and the odd creatures which watch the proceedings are going to enthrall and entertain the child reader. As if in testament to this, my second hand copy has scrawled in pen on the endpapers 'tis is a fune storry'. Not only it is a funny story but is also refreshing having one in which girls clamber up trees, play with slugs and are most happy when they're down in the grass building, crafting and closely looking at all the little creatures around them.
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