Abel's Island: Steig William - Softcover

William Steig

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1782691472 ISBN 13: 9781782691471

Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books, 2017

Synopsis

Winner of the Newbery Medal and Honor: a heartwarming tale of one mouse's struggle to go home, by the author of Shrek!

Abel has been happily married to Amanda for over a year. He has a comfortable home, an allowance from his mother, and no reason to worry. But one summer afternoon, a sudden storm blows away Amanda's scarf. Abel rushes after it - and is swept away by the wind.

When he finally comes to rest, he finds himself marooned on an uninhabited island. Ever resourceful, he is sure he will escape. He tries everything - bridges, boats, catapults, stepping stones - but gradually comes to realise that there is no way out...

As the winter draws in, the canny mouse must endure hunger, danger, and the ever-present threat of an owl with nasty intentions. And will he ever get home? Will he see his beloved Amanda once more?

'Steig's books are like perfect smooth stones, complete in themselves, with no seams to be found... he always has the skill to bring together what seems to be a lot of spur-of-the-moment choices and make them into stories that land so perfectly and satisfyingly and feel so inevitable in their endings' -- Jon Klassen, author of This Is Not My Hat

About this title

Review

'Exquisite in the telling and the witty illustrations perfectly complement the narration' --Carousel

'It's not only for kids that Steig's work offers revelations... [Abel's Island] is a deep meditation on time and endurance' -- Los Angeles Times

'There was no trouble in locating the best book of the year, William Steig's Abel's Island... Steig is triumphant in the quality of his prose - nor has he stinted on the quality and quantity of his illustrations' -- The New York Times

'Abel is a classic Steig hero: amiable, dignified, polite and given to moments of brave self-understanding that cause him to rise to desperate challenges... a joy to read aloud' -- Wall Street Journal

'Abel's adventures are presented with Steig's usual grace, warmth, and insight, and the delights of the text are further enhanced by his drawings. On all counts, it's a winner' -- School Library Journal (starred review)

'With inimitable style, Steig tells the story of a mouse... who gets swept away' -- Booklist (starred review)

'Whatever child likes The Bat-Poet or Charlotte's Web will love the way Steig uses our language and will want to relive Abel's odyssey on many a rainy Sunday afternoon' --Washington Post Book World

'Steig's books are like perfect smooth stones, complete in themselves, with no seams to be found... he always has the skill to bring together what seems to be a lot of spur-of-the-moment choices and make them into stories that land so perfectly and satisfyingly and feel so inevitable in their endings' --Jon Klassen, author of This is Not My Hat, Guardian

About the Author

William Steig (1907-2003) was an American author and illustrator of award-winning books for children. His books include Shrek!, on which the films of the same name are based, Dominic, Abel's Island and The Real Thief, all of which are published by Pushkin Children's. He twice received the Newbery Honor, was awarded the Caldecott Medal, and was the US nominee for both of the biennial international Hans Christian Andersen Awards, as a children's book illustrator in 1982 and a writer in 1988.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1782691472
• ISBN 13: 9781782691471
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160