Peter and the Wolf

by Sergei Prokofiev Narrated by Peter Fernandez

Overview

A retelling of the famed Russian composer's tale of the young peasant boy who defied his grandfather's warning to avoid the meadow and ended up capturing a wolf. This readalong is designed to serve as an introduction to the musical version.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

As in his interpretation of John Coltrane in Giant Steps, Raschka now turns Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf into poetry and pictures. The illustrations present the story as a theatrical performance (action unfolds alternately in freestanding illustrations and on an elaborate stage), but without an orchestra. As Peter cavorts, calmly but boldly opening himself to the climactic encounter with the wolf, Raschka conveys the mounting suspense in lilting words, swerving zigzags and curves. Carefree Peter is supported by an animal chorus in sound poetry, including a blue bird who speaks in stutters and rhyme, and of course the predator, who swallows the duck with a panting, "Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme... GULP!" Raschka's pictures-of characters venturing close to the wolf's bear-trap jaws, of the cat's enormous face looming over a tiny Peter-gain extra energy from geometrically shaped color blocks on the same spreads; each character is assigned a certain spectrum-e.g., red for the wolf-like the solo instruments in Prokofiev. His book best rewards patient readers capable of linking the continuous dialogue and amped-up visuals in the action spreads with scenes viewed within a complex, 3D cut-paper theater. One reading will not be enough to appreciate the artist's keen attention to detail. Ages 3-7. (Oct.)

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Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Since its debut in the '30s, Prokofiev's now-classic orchestral fairy tale of a boy who captures a wolf with the aid of some animal friends has been hugely popular. Here, with a nod to its musical origins (an introductory illustration showing each of the characters with his corresponding instrument), Lemieux ( A Gift from St. Francis ; Voices on the Wind ) delivers a straightforward, tightly written version of the tale. She takes some liberties--the hunters cart the wolf off to the zoo in the end, for example, instead of slitting him open to free the duck he's consumed--and purists may lament the separation of the story from its musical score, but children will still thrill to the bravery of Peter, who ignores his grandfather's warnings and catches a wolf by the tail. Dark, highly stylized oil paintings resound with suitably Russian elements--Grandfather looks like Tolstoy, the hunters are dressed as Cossacks--and create a fittingly atmospheric backdrop to this beloved story. All ages. (Oct.)

Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Wiencirz attempts to flesh out the basic story by adding dialogue and description. Unfortunately, rather than adding to the overall impact of the story, this effort only seems to make it more wordy. The clipped sentences sound slightly stilted: "One morning Peter woke up early. He went out into the garden and looked around. Where was his friend the little bird? Peter gave a soft whistle." Compare that passage to Patricia Crampton's Peter and the Wolf (Picture Book Studio, 1987; o.p.): "Only Peter's friend the bird, perched at the top of a big tree, sang the song of the peaceful meadow and the quiet, blue pond." Gukova's illustrations, reminiscent of Eastern European folk art, are more successful than the text. The animals, in particular, are nicely portrayed and seem to have distinct personalities as they interact. The design is basic-a single block of text placed on a double-page painting. Librarians needing a version of this story would be better served by Selina Hastings's Peter and the Wolf (Holt, 1995) or Patricia Crampton's book.-Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8A new interpretation of the often-illustrated tale. Charles Mikolaycak's Peter and the Wolf (Viking, 1986) has realistic colored-pencil drawings of handsome Russian peasants. Jorg Muller's oversized version (Knopf, 1986; o.p.) opens and closes with a theater stage where musicians perform Prokofiev's classic orchestral piece. Ian Beck's toylike figures (Atheneum, 1995) make the tale accessible to younger children. In contrast, Prado's interpretation tells the story in blocks or panels that are dark in hue and heavy with psychological meaning. The hand-written text appears in the corners of the small, framed pictures. Dark night and green forest make it difficult to discern the action as Peter follows the bird, duck, and cat into the frightening forest. Danger is almost palpable as the cat's sharp teeth narrowly miss the bird, and the giant gray wolf emerges from the gloom and swallows the duck. With the bird's help, Peter catches the wolf by his tail and the hunters shoot him. Briefly, the boy feels regret at having destroyed a magnificent beast, but quickly forgets when the villagers admire his bravery. "Vanity is as insatiable as the hunger of wild animals," reads the text. "So it goes." This version is not at all suitable for storyhours because of its dark setting and minute text. The aura of menace and fear that pervades it suggests that it should be used with older children who can understand Peter's pride and rebelliousness and can appreciate the artist's wry, comedic renderings.Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ

Kirkus Reviews

Language chosen for its sound at least as much as for its meaning lends an improvisatory air to this rendition of Prokofiev's musical tale, and theatrical illustrations definitely kick things up an additional notch. Having introduced themselves, the bird and the duck fall into an argument—"And the bird answers back: D-ducky d-dacky d-docky d-deeky. / And the duck answers back: Waieo, waieo, waieo, waieo"—before the cat and the wolf enter, Peter lassos the wolf and the hunters ("We are the men, / We are the men, / We are the men who hunt…") arrive to carry the captive off in triumph. For the art, Raschka alternates stylized pictures of the characters drawn in thick crayon and daubs of color with photos of elaborately decorated, ingeniously designed stage sets constructed from layers of cut and painted paper. He does make changes to the original's cast and plot in order to make the happy ending more explicit, but he's far from the first to do that. Among the plethora of Peters, his stands out for its seamless, jazzy match of verbal and visual exuberance. (Picture book. 6-8)

School Library Journal - Audio

PreS-Gr 3—Grammy Award-winner Jim Dale artfully narrates the beloved tale of young Peter and his animal friends, and introduces a new generation to a story that has delighted audiences for three-quarters of a century. Written by Sergei Prokofiev, the story helps children become familiar with some of the instruments in the orchestra, while spinning a harrowing tale. Unlike other versions that have changed the ending or added narration, this presentation is more faithful to the original composition. The recording begins by introducing the characters and the instruments that will represent them. Young Peter ventures out beyond the garden gate, despite his grandfather's warnings about the vicious wolf living in the woods. Grandfather soon brings him back home, but then disaster strikes and the wolf gobbles up duck. Peter once again sneaks out and, with the help of his friends, cat and bird, captures the wolf with a very clever trick. Hunters who come out of the woods want to shoot the wolf, but Peter convinces them to take him to the zoo. Everyone then proceeds to the zoo, with the duck, still alive, quacking inside the wolf's belly! The music is superbly performed by the Seattle Symphony. A different instrument portrays each character and Jim Dale is a master of narration. He gives each character a distinct voice, telling Peter's tale with wit and great suspense. A wonderful introduction to the orchestra, and a delightful classic tale.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Binghamton, NY

OCTOBER 2011 - AudioFile

Many have tackled Prokofiev's PETER AND THE WOLF, but the sublime Jim Dale brings his own grace, wit, and English charm to this treat of a production. His pronunciation and articulation enhance the beautiful orchestral accompaniment. When Grandad proclaims that Peter is naughty and doesn't listen, there's no doubt in anyone's mind of his veracity! Because the musical score is so enchanting, it wouldn’t be surprising for the narrator to take back seat. But not so with Jim Dale as narrator! Learning, at the conclusion, that the duck in the wolf's belly isn’t dead is cause for rejoicing. This should be at the top of the list for schools and parents who wish to introduce classical music to a young audience. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178720660
Publisher:	Live Oak Media
Publication date:	02/01/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

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