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A review by tashrow
The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert and Sullivan by Jonah Winter, Richard Egielski
4.0
A glimpse of Victorian England and the theatre is offered in this book. Through the lens of the Topsy-turvy kingdom, we meet the partners of Gilbert and Sullivan who collaborate on the operas. The trouble in the kingdom is that Gilbert wants to write the same story over and over again with different settings while Sullivan wants to create the music for something completely new and grand. The two men got in an enormous fight, with Sullivan declaring that he will no longer work with Gilbert. The two part ways and after some time, Gilbert is inspired to write an opera set in Japan which is completely different from anything he has written before. For this remarkable story, Sullivan created the best music of his life.
The tone of Winter’s writing is marvelously period at times, making sure that readers never lose sight of the time they are reading about. He inserts these at just the right place where they are not intrusive and improve the pacing of the book. Winter also gives each man a space of his own in the book, his own anger, his own frustration, his own creativity. This is enhanced by the illustrations which often show the two men in neighboring buildings so that even when collaborating they are separate. The illustrations are a nice mix of vintage and modern, just like the text. Filled with bright colors and thick lines, they are cartoony and inviting.
This picture book is a longer one, allowing readers to really get a sense of the two people and the time period. It is best read either with a small group of older children or given to a child with an interest in theater. Recommended for ages 6-9.
The tone of Winter’s writing is marvelously period at times, making sure that readers never lose sight of the time they are reading about. He inserts these at just the right place where they are not intrusive and improve the pacing of the book. Winter also gives each man a space of his own in the book, his own anger, his own frustration, his own creativity. This is enhanced by the illustrations which often show the two men in neighboring buildings so that even when collaborating they are separate. The illustrations are a nice mix of vintage and modern, just like the text. Filled with bright colors and thick lines, they are cartoony and inviting.
This picture book is a longer one, allowing readers to really get a sense of the two people and the time period. It is best read either with a small group of older children or given to a child with an interest in theater. Recommended for ages 6-9.