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A review by erica_s
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth
3.0
Muth's watercolor illustrations are beautiful, but not all of them advance the story equally well.
The story is supposed to be an adaptation or retelling of Tolstoy's Three Questions. Tolstoy asked:
"How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time?
Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest?
And, what affairs are the most important, and need my first attention?"
Muth asks:
"When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?"
Even though Tolstoy's story was extremely short, Muth's is even shorter. Tolstoy's main characters are a King and a hermit, while Muth uses a young boy and an old turtle. Inadequate answers are provided by advisors in Tolstoy's version, and by a heron, a monkey, and a dog in Muth's. Finally, the injured party, saved by the main characters, is portrayed by a vengeful enemy in Tolstoy, and an innocent parent panda in Muth.
Honestly, it seems a little condescending to guess that children can't handle the adult parable. On the other hand, it's a lot easier to picture, and young readers won't waste time trying to imagine a scene that is really just confusing to the moral message.
The story is supposed to be an adaptation or retelling of Tolstoy's Three Questions. Tolstoy asked:
"How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time?
Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest?
And, what affairs are the most important, and need my first attention?"
Muth asks:
"When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?"
Even though Tolstoy's story was extremely short, Muth's is even shorter. Tolstoy's main characters are a King and a hermit, while Muth uses a young boy and an old turtle. Inadequate answers are provided by advisors in Tolstoy's version, and by a heron, a monkey, and a dog in Muth's. Finally, the injured party, saved by the main characters, is portrayed by a vengeful enemy in Tolstoy, and an innocent parent panda in Muth.
Honestly, it seems a little condescending to guess that children can't handle the adult parable. On the other hand, it's a lot easier to picture, and young readers won't waste time trying to imagine a scene that is really just confusing to the moral message.