Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
ly. So can I. A cow can moo. I can too. Children will love to play along with this little girl, who imagines being any creature that walks, hops, flies, or swims. First published in 1950, this best-loved classic is brought back from the archives for a new generation to enjoy. Mary Blair’s bright, colorful art looks brand-new in this jacketed keepsake edition –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Ruth Krauss was an American writer of children’s books and theatrical poems for adults. She was the author of such books as The Carrot Seed, Cantilever Rainbow, and I Can Fly.
Mary Blair was a prominent concept artist for the Walt Disney Company and worked on such films as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South, and Cinderella. Several children’s books she illustrated in the 1950s remain in print today, including I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss and Baby’s House by Gelolo McHugh. In 1991 she was posthumously inducted into the Disney Legends hall of fame. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Amazon.com Review
Ruth Krauss and Mary Blair’s I Can Fly won awards upon its first publication in 1951 and has not lost an iota of its charm. The first pages open to a girl standing on a swing, sailing high in the sky next to a bird whose feathers match her dress: “A bird can fly./ So can I.” She can moo like a cow, grab like a crab, be merrier than a terrier, and pick, pick, pick like a little chick. Krauss’s simple verses capture a child at play and provide wonderful rhythms for a lively, interactive read-aloud session: “Crunch crunch crunch/ I’m a goat out to lunch,” Blair’s playful illustrations are as exuberant as the story-poem, with their gorgeous (truly ’50s!) palette and bold compositions that cleverly juxtapose the girl with her pretend animal playmates, page by page. Arms outstretched on the loops in the playground, the girl looks just like the crab with its grabby claws; eating celery at the table she mimics the goat eating flowers outside the front door. Young children will revel in the young girl’s splendidly confident outlook:”Gubble gubble gubble/ I’m a mubble in a pubble./ I can play/ I’m anything that’s anything./ That’s MY way.” We welcome this timeless classic back into print with open arms, much like an octopus might. (Baby to preschool) –Karin Snelson –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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