Creighton University

The simple illustration on the title-page presents the contrast wonderfully that lies at the basis of this fable: tall vase versus shallow soup-dish on a lovely bit of table cloth, with a few sprigs of garnish.  One great visual moment here has the stork writing her invitation with the pen clutched in her beak.  Another has us seeing the eyes of the hungry fox peering over the edge of the stovetop in the stork's kitchen.  The artist shows a gift for rich color, especially in the well imagined interior of the stork's home.  The cover presents the contrast between dishes and has both eaters reacting negatively.  The text is La Fontaine's straight verses, well divided.  25 pages, on which the color spreads all the way to the edges.

Here is a straightforward presentation of La Fontaine's text with illustrations suitable for children.  Both animals are dressed and wear shoes, the grasshopper with coveralls, scarf, and straw hat and the ant with dress, apron, and kerchief.  Both stand upright and move as humans do.  There is little suggestion here, I believe, of La Fontaine's emphasis on the artist's gift to any who will receive it.  Closest to this view is the grasshopper's declaration on 22-23, graced by notes floating in the air.  In fact, every pair of pages presents a single integrated picture.  25 pages, on which the color spreads all the way to the edges.  The cover shows the two characters in their typical summer activity walking past each other.

By contrast with other booklets in this series, we find here a prose adaptation of La Fontaine's original fable.  The story starts with the tortoise exercising – and sweating – in order to become the fastest animal in this forest.  All the animals laugh and mock her.  The rabbit steps up to say that the tortoise could not match any of the animals.  The tortoise suggests a race.  There are weeks of preparation.  The lion will be the judge of this race, and there will be a medal for the winner.  The hare already has lots of medals and trophies.  The turtle keeps training.  A segment of the good image of the starting line is repeated on the title-page: the hare does cartwheels while the turtle is all business, perhaps even a bit angry.  At the signal, the turtle takes off but the hare continues his pleasantries at the starting line.  The turtle keeps going, "lourdement mais avec détermination" (16).  She receives encouragement from snakes, snails, and slugs.  The hare stops along the way for autographs and pictures.  A telling picture shows the turtle laboring along while the hare slides down a water-slide in a pool.  He even takes a nap.  At the finish line, while the other animals celebrate the victorious turtle, the lion gives the hare La Fontaine's lesson: "Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point!"  La Fontaine's verse text appears on the back endpapers.  25 pages.

Here is a colorful and lively presentation of La Fontaine's fable.  The cover presents the two mice in the country, with the city's outline in the distance.  I struggled to decipher which mouse is which.  The city mouse, it turns out, wears a vest and scarf; the country mouse has glasses, a jacket, and a satchel.  The country mouse's home is a shoe, and the original invitation to a city banquet takes place there.  The illustration specifies the source of the threat during the city meal: a cat.  The mice here find an unusual refuge from the cat: a flower box outside a window.  Perhaps the most telling image traces the country mouse's hop down from the flower box to the railing to the steps on his way back home (22-23).  The final page, without text, shows the two enjoying a meal in the country.  25 pages.