El señor Muerte en una avellana. (Mr. Death in a Hazelnut)

By staff -- Críticas, 12/15/2007

PreS-Gr 2–In this Scottish folktale, Jack tries to rid the world of Mr. Death in a desperate attempt to save his ailing mother. The youngster recognizes the fragile old man at the beach and confronts him, shattering his scythe and hitting him as hard as he can, making him smaller with every punch. When he is small enough, Jack stuffs him into a hazelnut shell and tosses the nut into the ocean. He returns home to find that his mother is feeling fine; she is up and ready to fix lunch. However, every time that she attempts to prepare a simple dish, something goes wrong. Necessary chores such as chopping vegetables, cracking eggs, and getting a chicken for the pot become impossible, and Jack soon realizes the importance of death as an essential part of life. He decides to restore balance to the world at the risk of losing his mother—a brave decision that Mr. Death ultimately rewards. Gentle watercolors convey the universal theme of the duality of life and death. Jack’s attempts to butcher a chicken are vividly described, and younger children may not be prepared for such graphic imagery. Despite this caveat, this properly translated tale is a good addition for public libraries with extensive folktale or multicultural story collections.—Esmeralda Rios, Herrick District Library, Holland, MI