Jack Sendak (1924–1995)

This book is about a village that always had rain. When the rain stops, the people of the village come together and use what resources they have to figure out how to get it back. I like the idea of the story, but it just didn't keep me interested. There were some funny parts in the story. At one point, the people were wearing bags over their heads in hopes that it would bring rain. Which is what the philosopher recommended. They were asking the wisest people of the village to help solve the problem. The illustrations were nice. I thought it was neat that Maurice Sendak illustrated this book that was written by his brother.… (más)

Of course it can't rain *all* the time and everything be 'happy.' What about photosynthesis, at the least? But that's not the point. The point is: what happens when something we take for granted suddenly ends? How do adults react? What schemes would a wise man, scientist, philosopher, or mayor come up with? What thoughts occur to innocent children?

The ending may seem rather inconclusive, but what it's revealing is that man is not god; we cannot control nature; even in 2015 Mother Nature changed the destiny of 2K ppl on a cruise ship with, of all things, fog.., The rain came back when it was ready too, despite even the somewhat more interesting efforts of the children..

I wish the wise man had been referred to as a sage or guru. Wisdom is a good thing - self-proclaimed insights into the universe, not so much, and that's what the Sendak brothers were satirizing.

If you like the kind of satire of [b:Gulliver's Travels|755011|Gulliver's Travels (Two Parts)|Jonathan Swift|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1290377878s/755011.jpg|2394716] or [b:The Little Prince|157993|The Little Prince|Antoine de Saint-Exupéry|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367545443s/157993.jpg|2180358] you'll probably like this.

There's a small photo of the brothers Sendak on the back flap. Apparently Maurice was pretty handsome in 1956. He's holding a cute long-haired dog... I'd be willing to bet it's Jennie, the inspiration for the MC of [b:Higglety Pigglety Pop!: Or There Must Be More to Life|120695|Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or There Must Be More to Life|Maurice Sendak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355895734s/120695.jpg|1175175], which I discovered yesterday. I recommend you check out anything your library has by either Sendak that predates [b:Where the Wild Things Are|19543|Where the Wild Things Are|Maurice Sendak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1384434560s/19543.jpg|3020535], to save them from culling. I hope, now that I'm aware of the value of these older works, that I can find more somewhere in my Clan.… (más)

I've been sitting on this for a week, trying to figure out how to review it. I like Jack's work even better than Maurice's, except of course for WtWHA. But how, why? I don't know.... So I reread this today. And I still don't know what to say, except that I want to keep this rather than give it back to the library, because it's slightly surreal, and too old-fashioned and subtle for today's kids. (Well, at least in its present binding and design - a reissue might attract wise and sensitive readers.)

Maybe I can just give you an indirect suggestion of the vibe I get from Jack's work, esp. this one. It reads as if Jack is the more talented brother, the one with the more tortured soul, and that he's not more famous because we lost him (unconfirmed cause of death that may have been suicidal) at a young age, before he reached his full potential. Of course that's not exactly true... but maybe in a way it is, because during those years when he was not writing maybe he was attempting to live a more 'sane' and traditional life.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that I highly recommend this book to those who like finely written original folk-tales. Read it from your library before they cull it. And enjoy the art by Zemach, too, the sturdy Eastern European Jewish peasants (?), or whomever they are.... Again, old-fashioned & subtle, but perfect for the stories.… (más)