Abel's Island by William Steig 128pp RL3



It made Abel wonder about civilization. But, come to think of it, the owl, who was not civilized, was pretty warlike too. The hero, Captain Burin, was writing home from the battlefield to the one he had waltzed with in the first chapter, the one he loved. It was also winter in the story, and a drunken sergeant was saying things that were foolish and wise and funny - he wished he were hibernating instead of warring.
Somehow, I imagine the bears as being Russian and Abel reading the anthropomorphised bear version of a Tolstoy novel. I love that Steig thinks highly enough of the intellects of children to include something like this in his book. Abel also meets a slow moving and slow thinking frog, Gower Glacken, whom he hopes will help him off the island, despite his problem remembering things. Abel's time on the island gives him a new understanding of the world he has been separated from and, confronted with the daily challenge of a solitary and sometimes hostile environment Abel is moved to reexamine the easy life he had and learn new skills and talents that hold the promise of a more meaningful life - if he ever returns to Amanda again.



Steig's other children's novels include Dominic and The Real Thief.
Probably one of the best read-out-loud books ever, Pete's a Pizza is the story of how, when Pete can't go out to play on a rainy day his parents pretend to make him into a pizza. When Everybody Wore a Hat is told from a child's perspective and examies what life was like growing up in New York City in the early 1900's. A sort of memoir for Steig, who was born in 1907 and spent his life there. Grown-ups Get to Do All the Driving is a very funny look, from a child's perspective, at the absurdities of adulthood.
Many of Steig's picture books are centered around a journey and exploration of the self or trial that brings the protagonist back home to the waiting, loving arms of his or her family.
Steig also has a strong command of the magical in his picture books. Talking bones, husbands who turn into dogs, the ability to turn from a rabbit to a rusty nail and a potion that shrinks a boy to the size of a toy all make up plots of some of his magnificent stories.
Steig is a master at stories where one creature helps another overcome a sticky situation, or worse. Amos & Boris is sort of an "Ant and the Elephant" story told with a whale and a mouse.
Did you know that William Steig wrote the picture book that became the movie Shrek? While they both share a rude, foul, disgusting ogre, a talking donkey and a princess, the similarities end there...
Sadly, these books by Stieg are out of print. As a sulky child, I definitely related to Spinky Sulks in which a boy becomes irrationally upset and can't give it up for anything, even crullers and clowns.