David Lewis Atwell

Husband and wife team David Lewis Atwell and Debby Atwell, who previously collaborated on The Day Hans Got His Way: A Norwegian Folktale, join forces again in this lovely Christmas picture-book. Newly arrived at an orphanage, Cora seeks comfort in the moon, which her mother had always told her was the place lost things go. When the moon disappears, she seeks out lighthouse-keeper Hiram, who is a friend of the orphanage, hoping he will help her to find it again. His Christmas gift to her, in the form of a small telescope, lets her do just that, and she finds comfort in the fact that while the moon's cycles cause it to disappear from the sky, it is not truly lost...

Truth be told, I found David Atwell's story in Sleeping Moon a bit puzzling, and was left pondering the significance of the moon and its cycles to Nora's sense of loss and grief. It was odd that she would be so surprised and distressed that the moon had 'disappeared,' as a child of her age, particularly one who had regularly observed that heavenly body with her parents, would surely have been aware of its cycles, and the fact that when it was seemingly absent from the sky, it was simply the time of the new moon. Perhaps the reader is meant to think that her grief has somehow robbed of her of this knowledge, or perhaps one is simply meant to suspend one's disbelief. Whatever the case might be, accepting the premise here, it becomes clear that the 'disappearance' of the moon triggers Cora's feelings about the 'disappearance' (AKA death) of her parents, and the moon's cyclical return offers her some reassurance that her parents will always be with her. I'm not sure that the execution of the story idea here is quite convincing, but the idea itself is interesting, and the accompanying artwork from Debby Atwell, done in oil paint, is just beautiful. It is this latter, in fact, that really provided the majority of my reading enjoyment, and I'd recommend this one primarily to fellow admirers of Atwell's luminous folk-style illustrations.… (mehr)

Husband-and-wife team David Lewis and Debby Atwell present the traditional Norwegian folktale of The Man Who Kept House in this debut picture-book. The story of Hans, a champion complainer who believed his wife's lot was easier than his, it follows his adventures on the day that the two switch tasks, Gertrude going out into the fields, and he staying in and minding the house. A series of disasters ensue, as Hans makes a complete mess of everything, realizing just how hard Gertrude's work is. Fortunately, when his wife returns in the evening, she manages to set things to rights...

Originally contained in Asbjørnsen and Moe's nineteenth century collection of Norwegian folktales, where it was entitled Mannen som skulle stelle hjemme, this story has always been a favorite of mine. It argues for the value of women's work, which at that time concerned the home, and teaches how that work required both skill and hard labor. A cautionary tale for those who would sneer at domestic labor and housework, it is also quite humorous. I sought out The Day Hans Got His Way: A Norwegian Folktale largely because of Debby Atwell's folk-style illustrations, which I have enjoyed in such books as The Thanksgiving Door and Pearl. This was her first book, and while I don't know that the artwork is as accomplished as in some of her later titles, one can already see her adept use of light and color. Although I prefer The Man Who Kept House, which is a translation of a Norwegian-language retelling of this tale, the Atwells' version is still appealing, and is one I would recommend young folklore enthusiasts, as well as to fans of the artist.… (mehr)