A Small Tall Tale from the Far Far North by Peter Sis

from goodreads

3.5 stars

The other day my husband and I were talking, I can't remember what about, and I said, "that can't be true, my mother always said..." And then we discussedw hether that in fact it was the rule or whether my mom just said that so I wouldn't do that.

As a parent I know I say things like, "you have to clean your ears otherwise they will grow black and fall off". Will that happen?Probably not. Does it get the job done? You betcha.

Even now I will catch myself saying something, then I stop and wonder is that actually true, or did is that just something crazy my parents say? Where do these unwritten rules come from? At least if we listen to them we shouldn't be doing anything too crazy.

Synopsis

This a book about a man named Jan Welzl, who left his native Moravia (part of the former Czechoslovakia) and travelled across Siberia, across the Bering Sea and eventually to the Yukon. You discover what great things can be learned when you are humble and teachable.

My Thoughts

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book my little kids did not. This is definitely a picture book for children 8 and up. It did not hold my 5 year olds interest at all.

This is a book where it is very important to read the prologue. It gives the background of this man and helps set the stage for what is going to happen in the story. It explains why he went on this adventure and how he did it. So, don't skip it. You won't be able to enjoy the book as much if you do.

I love the drawings. They were complex yet still felt simple. I think he captured the feeling of the north very well.

I loved how he told/ drew one of the legends. The story was written in a spiral and small pictures were drawn as the line of the spiral and went perfectly with the story. It was really cool. See, it is small elements that add to the cool vibe of the book.

This would be a great book if someone was doing a school project about the north and the different people that went there.

Is everything in the book exactly how it happened? Probably not. In the epilogue it is hinted that some of his stories might have been exaggerated. But, it still makes an interesting story and I am sure that there is still a grain of truth to it. And that grain is enough for me.