Product Description

"Good pictures come along fairly often, but an original, remarkable book that takes you by surprise is rare. Rejoice over William Steig's latest, in which he spoofs medieval life and takes a crack at bullying older brothers and alchemy as he tells his rattling good story. 
-- The Philadelphia Inquirer

"A riveting tale of sibling rivalry set in medieval times, which is, at the same time, as modern as all get-out." 
-- Newsday

"Readers will delight in Steig's droll expressions, both visual and verbal, but the subtle lesson about brotherly love will not be lost amid teh comic goings-on."
-- School Library Journal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1947855 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: School & Library Binding
• 32 pages

From Amazon.com
William Steig, the creator of 26 children's books, including Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and The Amazing Bone, has struck again with an entertaining and informative book. Both the writer and illustrator, Steig spins a yarn that focuses on two brothers. The older boy, Yorick, is told one day by his alchemist father not to venture into the laboratory. Yorick, of course, does just that as soon as his father leaves and mixes a potion that transforms him into a toy-sized boy. His brother, Charles, is thereby transformed into the larger of the two, forcing the siblings to deal with role reversal, brotherhood, disobedience, and a host of other matters.

From Publishers Weekly
A big brother and little brother reverse roles-literally-in this Middle Ages take on "When the cat's away, the mice will play." Know-it-all Yorick wants to be an alchemist like his father, so when his parents leave on a week-long journey, he plays in the lab. Alas, poor Yorick concocts a shrinking formula, and soon he's the size of Lynne Reid Banks's Indian in the Cupboard. While he waits for his father to return and whip up an antidote, Yorick depends on his younger brother, Charles, whom he has always disdained; the two antagonists bond after sweet-natured Charles builds Yorick a dollhouse, saves him from a hailstorm and entertains him by "dress[ing] the goat up in one of his mother's best outfits." The prolific Steig keeps the Dark Ages light with his penchant for non sequiturs and colorful if challenging words (such as "alackaday" and "transmogrification"). Watercolors of chunky wooden furniture, heavy eating utensils and knee-length tunics set the tone for this costume comedy. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-Magnus and Eutilda Bede and their two children are an everyday, run-of-the-mill medieval family. Mr. Bede is an alchemist and Yorick, his older son, aspires to follow in his footsteps. When he isn't being pestered by Charles, Yorick dreams of turning donkey dung into gold and working other marvelous transformations. While Mr. and Mrs. Bede journey to a faraway wedding, the boy takes advantage of the opportunity to try out a magic formula. His potion does not have quite the effect he expects, however, and he ends up the size of a sausage. Charles is delighted. He makes his brother a little house, feeds him crumbs of bread and clabber cheese, and wishes he would fit in his pocket forever. The older boy is anxious to return to his normal size, but only does so when he finally remembers a missing ingredient in the magic potion. After all their trials, the two siblings view one another with a new affection. Steig's amusing drawings and bright watercolor washes are rich in detail and his cartoon style is further enlivened by bright purple borders on each page. Readers will delight in Steig's droll expressions, both visual and verbal, but the subtle lesson about brotherly love will not be lost amid the comic goings-on.?Barbara Kiefer, Teachers College, Columbia University, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.