The Gigantic Turnip - Softcover

Tolstoy, Aleksei

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1905236581 ISBN 13: 9781905236589

Publisher: Barefoot Books, 2005

This hilarious retelling of the classic Russian tale about a farmer whose turnip is impossible to pull from the ground uses simple vocabulary and is ideal for reading aloud. Its cumulative theme will soon have young readers gleefully joining in, and Irish artist Niamh Sharkey's wonderfully quirky illustrations will delight and fascinate all ages.

Review:

'The illustrations in this folk tale of an elderly couple who grow a very big turnip will stop you cold. They are stunning: spare and direct but with a hint of magic realism children will love. When you've stopped admiring the carrots and beans, there's a funny, pacy tale to read and numbers to practice counting.' --Independent

'Wonderfully expressive and highly inventive style. Her figures leap off the page, her animals are full of quirky character, and the colours glow with a life of their own. The Gigantic Turnip is a joy to the eye, a masterpiece. I cannot recommend it highly enough. For me, Sharkey's The Gigantic Turnip deserves the overall Bisto Award 1999 for its highly original and exuberant oil paintings on gesso-textured background.' --Irish Times

'Wonderful quirky illustrations from artist Niamh Sharkey add to the hilarity of this classic story.' --Express

About the Author:

Aleksei Tolstoy (1883-1945) was born and lived in Russia. During his four-decade literary career, he witnessed milestone historic events, both in his home country of Russia and abroad. He was a master storyteller, and wrote several children's tales as well as poems, plays and stories for adults. Award-winning Irish illustrator Niamh Sharkey works in oils on a gessoed textured background to create the richness in colour that has quickly established her as a world class illustrator. Niamh has illustratrated several best-selling Barefoot Books including Tales of Wisdom and Wonder (1998), The Gigantic Turnip (1998), Jack and the Beanstalk (1999) and Tales from Old Ireland (2000). In 1999, Niamh received the Books for Children Mother Goose Award for best new illustrator, as well as the Bisto Award, the Irish award for best illustrator. Niamh lives and works in Dublin, Ireland; she has three children.

• Publisher: Barefoot Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1905236581
• ISBN 13: 9781905236589
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Sharkey Niamh