The talking turnip

by Anne K. Rose

Book Overview

When a turnip, cat, spoon, and floor speak to her, an old woman runs off to tell the king. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0819310050
• ISBN13: 9780819310057
• Release Date: January 1979
• Publisher: Parents Magazine Press
• Weight: 0.51 lbs.
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Fun, but also a little scary!

When a woman is about to cook a turnip, the turnip speaks to her, telling her to leave it alone. When the cat, her spoon, and the floor itself all begin to talk to her, the terrified woman runs from her hut in a panic. When she comes upon a woodcutter and tells him her story, his axe speaks to him, and the woman and the woodcutter both run off together. In the end, three citizens go to the king and tell him of their experiences, and he tells them to stop making up lies. After they leave, dejected, the crown on the king's head speaks to him. This book has the feel of a fairy tale (and reappears from time to time as a joke about chatty horses who are astonished by a talking dog), with a repetitive structure that involves added elements with each retelling. It's also kind of eerie, with adults being clearly very frightened by spooky encounters that ultimately have no explanation. With the lack of a neat resolution, the reader is left to wonder what set off the phenomenon, and what will happen after the citizens return to their lives. But don't let these darker elements stop your children from enjoying the book, which is absorbing and illustrated by the celebrated and masterful Paul Galdone. I think having a bit of a ghost in your story can provide extra thrills for youngsters, and anyone who is old enough to understand that the events are spooky should also understand the humor and light-hearted elements of the book. This is a very young version of "What if;" in this case, what would you do if objects started to speak on their own. I recommend this book as an introduction to fairy tales and folk tales.