Bernal and Florinda: A Spanish Tale - Hardcover

Bernal, a poor but resourceful cavalier from Seville, is forbidden to court his lover, Florinda, because his only possession is a field swarming with grasshoppers: her money-grubbing father, the mayor, is immovable on the subject. Bernal vows to make his fortune from those grasshoppers, and he does just that, trading a sackful for a goose, the goose for some charcoal, and so on until he has both traded and schemed his way toward the mayor's consent. This original, Spanish-style picaresque story, from the team that produced Three Sacks of Truth , comes full circle via a satisfyingly unpredictable route. Kimmel's telling is energetic and witty, sprinkled with small ironies and crisp turns of phrase. Rayevsky's illustrations, even bolder and more stylized than usual, provide striking accompaniment: his characters are variously angular and pot-bellied, with theatrical postures and exaggerated expressions that run the gamut from determined to cunning to greedy and make the whole feel larger than life. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Kindergarten-Grade 4-Bernal and Florinda, two young lovers, are wrenched apart by the girl's greedy father, who envisions a wealthy husband for his beautiful daughter. Bernal's only asset is a field infested with grasshoppers, but he vows to turn the insects into a fortune. Through a series of trades, a disguise, and a deception involving a seemingly dead body, Bernal finally attains his heart's desire-Florinda's hand in marriage. In a humorous denouement, the corpse coughs up the peach pit that was lodged in his throat and is restored to life. The dramatic dialogue is supported by theatrical illustrations rendered in broad strokes and intense, earthy colors. The pages resemble stage sets-the landscapes are painted backdrops and the figures stand in profile, speaking to each other and gesturing to the audience. This tale's broad humor will appeal to children.
Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.