rouver's review against another edition
2.0
This is by the same author & illustrator as [b:The Phantom Tollbooth|378|The Phantom Tollbooth|Norton Juster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1558858485l/378._SX50_.jpg|1782584], and while I wanted to enjoy both of these books, I can't say I really did. They just weren't for me. They didn't enchant, entice, or excite me in any way. *shrug*
The story is about an ogre who not only has the reputation of being terrible, but who does, in fact, actually eat people by the handful. He relies on his ability to scare people to be able to eat them at his leisure. When he comes across a young girl who isn't frightened of him, he can't handle it, and literally ends up dying.
There are better kid books out there.
The story is about an ogre who not only has the reputation of being terrible, but who does, in fact, actually eat people by the handful. He relies on his ability to scare people to be able to eat them at his leisure. When he comes across a young girl who isn't frightened of him, he can't handle it, and literally ends up dying.
There are better kid books out there.
mrsmarch's review against another edition
2.0
When I found out Norton Juster, author, and Jules Pfeiffer, illustrator, were back together again for a new children's book, I was thrilled. Their masterly collaboration, 1961's The Phantom Tollbooth, has stayed with me for years, and I recommend it to everyone I know who either knows the secret of looking at the world with magic, or needs to learn it.
49 years after The Phantom Tollbooth, Juster & Pfeiffer's The Odious Ogre brings Juster's mastery of descriptive English and Pfeiffer's lyrical, energized illustrations to a slightly younger crowd -- the book is recommended for ages 4 to 8 to Tollbooth's 9 to 12, but would be a fun read-aloud book for parents and younger, pre-school aged children. There are a lot of active, descriptive words that can be acted out. The short story focuses on an odious ogre terrifying the countryside and the nice forest maiden whom he meets one day. I feel personally that the story is too short and too simple, given that I know what Juster is capable of in his prose, but I must stay aware that this story is meant for very very young children, and in that light is fun and pitch-perfect. It is charmant, but it will always be an age-appropriate introduction to Tollbooth, which I still consider the best example of YA literature in the 20th century.
49 years after The Phantom Tollbooth, Juster & Pfeiffer's The Odious Ogre brings Juster's mastery of descriptive English and Pfeiffer's lyrical, energized illustrations to a slightly younger crowd -- the book is recommended for ages 4 to 8 to Tollbooth's 9 to 12, but would be a fun read-aloud book for parents and younger, pre-school aged children. There are a lot of active, descriptive words that can be acted out. The short story focuses on an odious ogre terrifying the countryside and the nice forest maiden whom he meets one day. I feel personally that the story is too short and too simple, given that I know what Juster is capable of in his prose, but I must stay aware that this story is meant for very very young children, and in that light is fun and pitch-perfect. It is charmant, but it will always be an age-appropriate introduction to Tollbooth, which I still consider the best example of YA literature in the 20th century.
emdoux's review against another edition
4.0
Just read this to SK as their Mystery Reader for the day. Their teacher definitely enjoyed it a little more than the kids; it's got a lot of adult humor in it, but that also made it fun for the kids because they gleaned meaning for some of the complicated words from my tone or expression (or of course, the illustrations). I was a little nervous about the harsh ending of the story, but it really spurred a great conversation about reputation, being nice and how sometimes being mean can cause really bad things to happen.
The kids also talked a lot about how much they love coming to the library and how glad they were that I was able to come read to them. Entering a classroom to a full-on loud cheer coming from 24 kids is a pretty darn great feeling.
The kids also talked a lot about how much they love coming to the library and how glad they were that I was able to come read to them. Entering a classroom to a full-on loud cheer coming from 24 kids is a pretty darn great feeling.
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
Not a fan of the illustrations, but I adored the story itself, especially because of all the marvelous vocabulary. This would make a great read aloud for upper elementary or for classes in middle school that are struggling with gossip and treating peers equally.
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
4.0
Kindness saves the day. Lots of great vocabulary, a great team of Juster and Feiffer.
line_so_fine's review against another edition
4.0
Good read-aloud for older kids that can take lots of wordiness. I mainly liked it for the two page wordless spread where the ogre is shown in different stages of a mega temper tantrum.
greenbeanteenqueen's review against another edition
4.0
If you're a fan of Norton Juster (The Phantom Toolbooth) and wry humor, you will enjoy this book. The book reads like a fable or fairy tale and it makes a great picture book for older readers. (The ogre does eat people, so if you have sensitive readers, this might not be the book for them.)
The narration is hilarious. The ogre has a large vocabulary "due mainly to having inadvertently swallowed a large dictionary while consuming the head librarian in one of the nearby towns." The ogre's encounter with the young girl is very funny and I think young readers will get a kick out of her nonchalance over having a terrifying ogre visit her garden.
At first I didn't like the illustrations, but the more I look at the book, the more I like them. There are two different styles used-one for the ogre and one for the townspeople. It's somewhat subtle but it does make the ogre stand apart. There are also great expressions on the ogre's face and the two page spread showing the ogre trying to scare the young girl did make me laugh out loud.
The Odious Ogre would be a great read for someone looking for a humorous picture book to read to 3rd-5th graders as I think they would appreciate the humor and the moral of the story.
The narration is hilarious. The ogre has a large vocabulary "due mainly to having inadvertently swallowed a large dictionary while consuming the head librarian in one of the nearby towns." The ogre's encounter with the young girl is very funny and I think young readers will get a kick out of her nonchalance over having a terrifying ogre visit her garden.
At first I didn't like the illustrations, but the more I look at the book, the more I like them. There are two different styles used-one for the ogre and one for the townspeople. It's somewhat subtle but it does make the ogre stand apart. There are also great expressions on the ogre's face and the two page spread showing the ogre trying to scare the young girl did make me laugh out loud.
The Odious Ogre would be a great read for someone looking for a humorous picture book to read to 3rd-5th graders as I think they would appreciate the humor and the moral of the story.