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Adams, Jean Ekman ListingsIf you cannot find what you want on this page, then please use our search feature to search all our listings. Click on Title to view full description
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CLARENCE GOES OUT WEST AND MEETS A PURPLE HORSE
Adams, Jean Ekman
2000 14361 From The Critics Publishers Weekly Adams makes her debut with this unambiguously titled picture book, which concerns a greenhorn pig's trip to a dude ranch. Clarence decides to take a vacation "Out West," but when he arrives, he feels too shy to kick up his heels. Then he meets Smoky, a horse with a violet coat and sunset-red mane ("I will teach you to ride and wrangle and jingle your spurs on Saturday night!"). The duo kick up a high time until Smoky discloses a terrible secret: the ranch plans to sell him. Clarence comes to the rescue, and the acrylic illustrations, in desert hues of terracotta orange, turquoise and jade green, picture the soulmates' adventures thereafter. This cowboy tale bogs down in clunky dialogue, however, and ends on a peculiar note. Although the talking animal pals seem to be equals (an opening scene at the ranch shows horses and pigs relaxing together after dinner), Clarence buys Smoky and fantasizes about a rodeo act, "Clarence the Line Dancing Pig and His Famous Purple Horse Smoky." On the other hand, Adams ends in praise of companionship; a parting shot shows horse and pig, liberated from loneliness, enjoying freedom together. Ages 3-6. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information. | Children's Literature Clarence the pig has been looking forward to his vacation at a ranch out West for a long time. The bus trip is long, too, but he finds plenty to do. He's impressed with the Western cactus and mountain scenery. He arrives at the ranch too late for dinner, he doesn't know anyone, and he forgot to bring his favorite pillow. He's homesick and doesn't sleep very well the first night. But after a hearty ranch breakfast he feels "bouncy" and ready to see the horses. A large purple horse introduces himself as "Smoky...your horse [for] this week." Smoky teaches Clarence to ride and to play cards. They go to a party and do line dancing. Clarence even "learns to play the washtub in a cowboy band." But all is not well. Smoky is "not a young horse" and the ranch is going to sell him. Clarence manages to buy Smoky with the money he had for his bus fare home. He will "just have to ride Smoky all the way home." The total unreality of this dream is just right for the fantasy of the whole book. It's truly fun. School Library Journal K-Gr 2-Clarence is an adventurous, independent little pig who, on a vacation to a ranch, rescues a talking, dancing, mentoring purple horse from his impending "over the hill" fate. The ink-outlined drawings are filled in with bright colors to please preschoolers but the lifeless text is forced to fit the pictures. Adams's Western na f is cartoon cloying and the illustrations are cutesy snapshots rather than complements to a coherent story line.- Northland Publishing AZ 0-87358-753-7 / 9780873587532
Hardcover Very Good Condition Flagstaff
Price:
15.75 USD
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