From School Library Journal
Grade 2-6–Eight well-known tales serve as a showcase for a variety of illustrators. Peter Sís's familiar dots and a watery blue and brown palette illustrate "How the Whale Got His Throat," while Christopher Corr uses bright colors against a hot yellow background to set the scene for "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin." Other artists use collage, watercolors, and woodcuts to illustrate a story; some styles evoke ethnic art, while others are more cartoonlike. Barry Moser's watercolor illustrations offer a more unified vision for Just So Stories, a slightly different set of Kipling's famous tales (Morrow, 1996). While picture-book treatments of a single story are available, libraries in need of a collection can consider this a supplemental purchase.–Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 3-6, younger for reading aloud. There are many fine editions of Kipling's perennially popular fables still in print, but this colorful collection of eight tales distinguishes itself with its range of artwork. Well-known children's book artists, including Peter Sis, Jane Ray, and Satoshi Kitamura, contributed the art, each one illustrating a different story. The vibrant mix of styles and materials adds new dimension to favorite stories, while the text remains close to Kipling's original, down to the delicious refrain, "O my Best Beloved." A lively, accessible edition that teachers will want to use with classroom units on pourquoi tales. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
In this sumptuous volume, eight of Kipling's playful, inventive tales are brought to life by eight of today's most celebrated illustrators, from Peter Sis's elegantly graphic cetacean in "How the Whale Got His Throat" to Satoshi Kitamura's amusingly expressive characters in "The Cat That Walked by Himself." This collection of pourquoi tales is sure to please and delight curious children everywhere who wonder, "Why won't cats come when they're called?" and "How did the rhinoceros get his wrinkly skin?" First told aloud to his own daughter, Rudyard Kipling's inspired answers to these and other burning questions draw from the fables he heard as a child in India and the folktales he gathered from around the world. "How the Whale Got His Throat" Illustrated by Peter Sis"How the Camel Got His Hump"Illustrated by Clare Melinsky "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin"Illustrated by Christopher Corr "How the Leopard Got His Spots"Illustrated by Cathy Felstead "The Elephant's Child"Illustrated by Louise Voce "The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo"Illustrated by Jeff Fisher "The Beginning of the Armadillos"Illustrated by Jane Ray "The Cat That Walked by Himself"Illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura

About the Author
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was born to British expatriates and lived in India for many years. The time he spent there as a child and later as a newspaper reporter and editor greatly influenced his writing, including such well-known works as Kim, The Jungle Book, and Just So Stories. Kipling traveled the world, living in Vermont for several years, before settling in Sussex, England. In 1907, he became the first Englishman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

How did the Rhinoceros get his wrinkly skin? Why won't cats come when they're called? How did one curious elephant - with a nose for trouble - change the lives of all elephants everywhere? First told aloud to his young daughter, Rudyard Kipling's inspired answers to these and other questions drew upon fables he had heard as a child in India and folktales he gathered from around the world. Now, in this sumptuous volume, Kipling's playful pourquoi tales are brought to life by eight of today's most celebrated illustrators - from Peter Sis's elegantly graphic interpretation of "How the Whale Got His Throat" to Satoshi Kitamura's amusingly expressive characters in "The Cat That Walked by Himself." These eight classic tales, along with their latest artistic interpretations, are guaranteed to delight and appeal to a new generation of "'satiably curious" children.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Well-known animal tales get a fresh look from eight contemporary artists in A Collection of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories. Peter Sis, Satoshi Kitamura and Jane Ray number among the artists, illustrating "How the Whale Got His Throat," "How the Camel Got His Hump" and "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin." The illustrators' individual styles lend each story a distinct feeling. Fans of Kipling's work will appreciate the new look and newcomers to the classic stories will be taken in by the bold artwork and approachable trim size. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Trina Heidt