written and illustrated by Steven Kellogg
original: Dial Books, 1977
re-illustrated and revised: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2002
original: Dial Books, 1977
re-illustrated and revised: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2002
Steven Kellogg took a bit of a risk, in my opinion, in revising what has become a classic.
The revision is the 25th anniversary edition and is now a slightly larger book with vibrant color illustrations. Compare this to the original with its minimally colored drawings.
Steven Kellogg went beyond simply re-illustrating the book, however. His editors suggested the revision and he “eagerly accepted the invitation.” In A Note from the Author in the back of the new Mysterious Tadpole Mr. Kellogg writes, “With the passing years I realized there were nuances of character, sequence, and plot that I wished I had explored in the original version, and now I had the chance! I was particularly happy to create new picture that could not be confined by the limitations of pre-separation (the illustration technique that the economics of printing had demanded the first time)… Now Louis, Alphonse, and their friends can be seen exactly as I saw them in my mind’s eye all those years ago.”
The revision is the 25th anniversary edition and is now a slightly larger book with vibrant color illustrations. Compare this to the original with its minimally colored drawings.
Steven Kellogg went beyond simply re-illustrating the book, however. His editors suggested the revision and he “eagerly accepted the invitation.” In A Note from the Author in the back of the new Mysterious Tadpole Mr. Kellogg writes, “With the passing years I realized there were nuances of character, sequence, and plot that I wished I had explored in the original version, and now I had the chance! I was particularly happy to create new picture that could not be confined by the limitations of pre-separation (the illustration technique that the economics of printing had demanded the first time)… Now Louis, Alphonse, and their friends can be seen exactly as I saw them in my mind’s eye all those years ago.”
It makes perfect sense to me to reissue a book with more colorful illustrations. I've learned that it's not simply a matter of the artist adding more color to the original drawings. Some artists will produce new illustrations carefully re-creating pictures that look as close to the originals as possible.
With the two Mysterious Tadpoles, however, Kellogg gave us a new take on the story and the art. It's like two friends telling their own versions of the same event. One friend says that Uncle McAllister sent Louis a present all the way from Scotland. The other friend says that Uncle McAllister brought Louis a present all the way from Scotland. Kellogg has fleshed out new edition with some things that never took place in the first story. Some of the original events are given more detail.
The newer edition looks wonderful. One wishes it had always been adorned with such color. However, the question arises: Is this a completely new Tadpole? Should libraries replace their old editions or add the new one to their collections? The public fell in love with the Alphonse and Louis that they met in 1977. Is the new book better or just different?
With the two Mysterious Tadpoles, however, Kellogg gave us a new take on the story and the art. It's like two friends telling their own versions of the same event. One friend says that Uncle McAllister sent Louis a present all the way from Scotland. The other friend says that Uncle McAllister brought Louis a present all the way from Scotland. Kellogg has fleshed out new edition with some things that never took place in the first story. Some of the original events are given more detail.
The newer edition looks wonderful. One wishes it had always been adorned with such color. However, the question arises: Is this a completely new Tadpole? Should libraries replace their old editions or add the new one to their collections? The public fell in love with the Alphonse and Louis that they met in 1977. Is the new book better or just different?
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