Title: Aesop’s Rhymes
Author: Robert W. Petry
Illustrations: T. Steele Petry
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ASIN: B0915XMPK3
Genre: Children’s Books
Reviewed by: Barbara Bamberger Scott
Pacific Book Review
Two brothers, Robert W. Petry and T. Steele Petry, collaborate in this vibrant recreation of the ancient fables of Aesop transformed into poetic and pictorial wonders.
The fables are best known for the familiar gems of wisdom that they prove in story form: Look before you leap; Honesty is the best policy; Necessity is the mother of invention. Some of the tales are better known, such as that of the race between the tortoise and the hare – as poet Petry styles it, “The tortoise had won despite his slow pace, because slow and steady can win the race.” Artist Petry here depicts an almost touchably fuzzy bunny, snoozing with eyes arrogantly closed, while a determined, hard-walking tortoise slowly makes it to the checkered flag. In another offering, a hungry wolf stands staring up at a fat, tasty looking goat who refuses the wolf’s offer to assist her in getting to the greener grass below: “I know to look before I leap.” A flashily attired, boastful traveler tries to convince a group of strangers that he can outrun a horse, indeed has done so in another town, but when invited to prove it, he
“…quietly slipped away
And was never again seen nor heard.
The moral of the story? It’s clear to say,
Deeds speak louder than words.”
The Petry brothers, both retired physicians, credit their parents for the traits that brought talent and teamwork to fruition in this entertaining collection. Their book is perfect for older children who may never have read the original stories and will retain them well through poetry, and for younger ones who will appreciate having the tales read to them and looking at the colorful, emotive illustrations. Older folks, including teachers, doing the reading may be surprised at the many different fables that came from Aesop. They then have the opportunity to stress the lessons learned through the Petry method of combined poetry and picture: loyalty to friends is a great virtue (“The Bat”), laughing at yourself helps others laugh too (“The Bald Man”) and of course, planning ahead is always a good idea (“The Grasshopper and the Ants”).
The Petry brothers present these intelligent, time-honored concepts in a unique, engaging format titled Aesop’s Rhymes, for modern readers who will enjoy and want to share them.
