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Summary
Summary
A clever story of greed and goodness, and the art of finding the in-between, from two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka, creator of the New York Times bestselling A Ball for Daisy .
Watch the farmer's ear.
Now watch the two small, clever fellows in pointy hats whispering into it, first one, then the other.
Give and Take. They cannot agree.
Listen now to the farmer talk back--and, in this story of apples, pumpkins, pigs, and a final surprise, he just might get the better of both of them.
Author Notes
Chris Raschka was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania on March 6, 1959. He received a B.A. from St. Olaf College in 1981. Before becoming a full-time author, he was an art teacher in St. Croix, Virgin Islands and a freelance artist, cartoonist, and editorial illustrator. He is an author and illustrator of children's books including Yo! Yes?, Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, and Mysterious Thelonious. Hello, Goodbye Window won the Caldecott Medal in 2006 and A Ball for Daisy won the Caldecott Medal in 2012.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-A farmer goes to pick apples in his orchard and encounters a little man named Take, who urges him to take all the pumpkins a neighbor offers. He carries them home and-following his neighbor's advice-makes gallons of pumpkin soup that neither he nor his dog will eat. Sending Take away, the farmer again gathers apples and meets another little man named Give, who offers him advice, so this time he gives his ripe apples-and his opinions-to a pig farmer. That evening the farmer has an empty stomach and an empty head. He sends Give away. Picking apples a third time, he sees the little men fighting over who is best and puts both of them into his basket. He then gives some apples to the miller and takes some flour. Back home, he makes an apple pie that he, his dog, and Give and Take enjoy. Artwork is done in ink and watercolor. Strong black lines make eye-catching use of the white space. In some illustrations the colors are mottled and images are indistinct, perhaps reflecting ambiguous attitudes toward give and take, generosity and greed. The farmer finds inspiration hearing the little men shout their names. Eating pie sweetens them, and they take each other's hands and and then hug each other. The contrast between the traditional telling and the bold, edgy illustrations may not appeal to everyone, but this is a good choice for storytime and will spark interesting discussions.-Mary Jean Smith, formerly at Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Two strong-willed elves harry a farmer in this pitch-perfect folktale by Caldecott Medalist Raschka. While harvesting apples, the farmer meets Take, "a tiny little man" dressed in black. The farmer heeds Take's advice to "take as much as we can," trades all his apples for pumpkins, and ends up with "gallons of pumpkin soup." The next day, he sends Take away and meets Give, another Rumpelstiltskin lookalike dressed all in white. "Give away everything you have," Give orders. Unfortunately, once the farmer dispenses with his opinions and his apples, he goes home alone and hungry. On the third day, the man balances Give and Take's input, resulting in an apple pie for all to share. Raschka illustrates in wide strokes and swoops of India ink, daubed with jewel-toned watercolors, for a rustic, handcrafted feel. Give and Take recall a classic angel-and-devil duo (or Spy vs. Spy), but neither is all good or bad. This isn't a flashy story, but one whose wisdom flows naturally from a well-structured setup amid dashes of visual and verbal humor. Ages 4-8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Take? Or give? As this multi-leveled fable dramatizes, neither is much good without the other. When a farmer sets out to harvest his apples, he is approached by a tiny little man named Take. "Take them," the little man insists. "Take all of them. Take as many as you see." So the farmer picks all his apples and exchanges them for a neighbor's pumpkins, ending up with only a stringy pumpkin soup that neither he nor his dog wants to eat. After ousting Take, the farmer is accosted by Give. Soon he's giving apples to another neighbor's pigs, along with his (unsolicited) opinions ("on apples, apple trees, apple seeds, clouds, worms..."). Fortunately, after Give and Take begin to fight with each other, the farmer thinks more wisely for himself: he trades some apples to a miller for flour, shares some sensible advice, invents apple pie, and reaps not only a tasty meal but also peace between the two antagonists ("'Take my hand,' said the one. 'Give me a hug,' said the other"). It's rather an intricate path to a worthy truth, but each new turn is well earned in both the brisk, neatly honed text and the exuberant illustrations. Broad swashes of black ink define free-flowing forms splashed with vivid autumnal watercolors counterpointed with bold turquoise; the farmer's pendulous red nose is a playful nod to Tomi Ungerer. Good fun for the little ones--plus something for their elders to discuss. joanna rudge long (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Imagine Rumpelstiltskin with an equally imperious twin, and youd approximate Take and Give, a tiny pair who bedevil a farmer with conflicting advice.Borrowing motifs and pacing from traditional folklore, Raschka introduces a mild man intent on harvesting apples. First Take emerges, promising a finer life. When a neighbor woman offers the farmer some of her pumpkins, Take urges, Take them. Take all of them. Take as many as you see. Hauling a voluminous load of pumpkins, the farmer trudges all day at Takes pointless urging to take a hike. Returning home to make the pumpkin soup the neighbor had suggested, the exhausted fellow realizes that he and his dog both dislike it. Next morning, having banished Take, the farmer picks a second tree, only to be visited by Give, who promises a sweeter life. Give similarly beleaguers the farmer, making him relinquish all his apples to a pig farmer. The third harvest day, the tiny duos argumentative wrestling sparks new ideas for the farmer. He gives the miller apples and takes some flour, and soon, a happy ending (and a lovely pie) is shared by all. Raschkas customary thick, dry, brushy black shapes and contours dominate a rather somber palette of gray, red, teal and orange. This marriage of a well-told, folklore-reminiscent tale, dynamic line and muted palette evoke the 1950s-era work of Paul Galdone and Nicolas Mordvinoff.Inventive as ever. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Meet an apple farmer who loves his apples. One day, he finds the apples of his oldest tree ripe and ready. But while he is picking, someone finds the farmer: an elfin little man named Take. When a grower asks the farmer if he'd like some pumpkins, Take insists the old fellow grab them all. So the farmer dumps the apples and brings home pumpkins instead, winding up with pots of pumpkin soup and he doesn't even like pumpkin soup. The next day, another little fellow appears, this one named Give. Give offers the opposite advice and insists that all of the picked apples along with many opinions are given to a pig farmer. Finally, the third day sees Give and Take wrestling and squabbling until the farmer trades some of his apples for some of the miller's flour. The result? Apple pie! And now it is clear (and will be clear to the audience) that what Give and Take need are each other. This simple, powerful parable finds perfect expression in Raschka's wildly inventive ink-and-watercolor illustrations. Bold, exaggerated swirls depict the action as well as the emotional toll of the farmer's attempts to balance, well, everything: plans, pronouncements, and produce. Occasionally these dramatic images are a bit hard to decipher, but children will let their imaginations take over as they ponder how give-and-take can work for them. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Librarians and fans are always interested in what the multitalented Raschka is up to. Here he makes a welcome foray into the world of fables.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist