The Rooster Prince of Breslov
Gr 1-3–When the prince rips off his clothes and insists on crouching naked on the floor and crowing like a rooster, the king and queen offer a bag of gold to anyone who can cure him. The doctor, the magicians, and the sorcerers all fail. Yet a frail old man with a very peculiar plan turns the rooster prince into a real mensch, full of compassion and ready to become a wise and benevolent king. Stampler's witty retelling and Yelchin's imaginative, graphite and gouache illustrations bring to life this well-loved Yiddish folktale from Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810). Children will enjoy picking up on the visual clues that reveal the old man's plan. An author's note provides background information. With more creativity and humor, the text and illustrations are far superior to Izzi Tooinsky's The Turkey Prince (Viking, 2001) and Sydell Waxman's The Rooster Prince (Pitspopany, 2000). Perfect for reading aloud.Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL© Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.