Step by Step

Diane Wolkstein has captivated audiences worldwide with her folk and fairy tales. She has released ten recordings and is the author of over sixteen books of folklore. Among her critically acclaimed children’s titles are The Magic Orange Tree and White Wave-- both ALA Notable Books—and The Banza, a Reading Rainbow selection. She lives in New York City.
Jos. A. Smith is the well-known illustrator of numerous books for children, including The Adventures of King Midas, Jim Ugly, and Matthew’s Dragon. In addition, he is a professor of fine arts at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where he has taught drawing, painting, and figure sculpture. He has exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and illustrated for several national magazines, including Time and Newsweek. He lives in New York City.

Over a stone, across a leaf, under a branch--step by step, a red-sneakered ant wends her way to meet her friend the grasshopper. Together, the two enjoy an outing, then the ant travels home again, step by step, arriving just before dark. Although the story line is slight and the pair's adventures practically nonexistent, Wolkstein's pacing is expert. Here, repetition of the phrase "step by step" propels the tale and sets the stage for a rhythmic, reassuring read-aloud. Smith's larger-than-life illustrations provide an ant's-eye view of the world; solid attention to detail and gentle anthropomorphization of the ant and her friend make this, if not a show-stopper, decidedly reader-friendly. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.