The Bremen-town Musicians 
retold by Ruth Belov Gross ~ illustrated by Jack Kent
Scholastic, 1974
Winding down Jack Kent week, I hope to get at least one or two more reviews up before the end of the day. Just in case I don't, I wanna take this opportunity to thank Jack Jr. for letting me into his home and his father's legacy... and thank you guys for coming and commenting and reading along. I'm a bigger fan of his than when I started, and that's saying alot!
Jack illustrated a handful of books by Ms. Gross who specialized in the retelling of traditional folk tales. What's funny about this book is that I've always been aware of the Brothers Grimm story, but I didn't remember what it was about until I read this version last year. (How did I totally space on The Muppet Musicians of Bremen!?!) I didn't remember that the animals never get to Bremen and that they never become musicians. To me, that's the funniest part of the book, no?
There was once a donkey who was getting old. One day he heard his master say, "That donkey is too old to work. So why should I feed him?" "If he won't feed me," thought the donkey, "I will run away. Maybe I can't work for him any more. But I'm good at music. I will go to Bremen-town and be a musician there."
Off the donkey goes and on his journey he meets up, one by one, with a motley crew of unwanted creatures who join in his dream. When the band of animals comes across a cottage in the woods filled with robbers and booty, they devise a plan to scare the thieves out of their loot, home and dinner. The plan works, and with the robbers out of the way, the animals set up house and never make it to Bremen-town, never become musicians, and live happily ever after. Who'd have thought!?!
Also by:
Jack Kent's Twelve Days of Christmas
I Was Walking Down the Road
The Grown-Up Day
The Fox and the Crow
The Biggest Shadow in the Zoo
The Animobile Book
Jack Kent's Book of Nursery Tales
Dooly and the Snortsnoot
Mr. Meebles
Cindy Lou and the Witch's Dog
Clotilda
The Blah
Jack Kent's Valentine Sticker Book
Round Robin
Just Only John
Fly Away Home
Fat Cat
Piggy Bank Gonzales
Socks for Supper
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5 comments:
I've loved your focus on Jack Kent this week. Before discovering your blog, his name was unfamiliar to me. Now I'm on the lookout for his work.
Had no clue who Jack Kent was until your Jack Kent week...definitely now material for me to look into. As always, another great week of reading on VKBMKL!
Oh, this one looks so fun!!
I'm doing my own version of this tale right now! (for fun) It's one of my favorites, and I love the focus you've had on Kent this week. Wonderful!
This was my all-time favorite book as a kid. I bought it at a first- grade school book sale for 25 cents, signed my name on it, and still have it today. Thanks to Jack Kent for the illustrations I fell in love with!
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