SWIFT

Ann Keay Beneduce retells Jonathan Swift's classic "Gulliver's Adventures in Lilliput" here, and her slightly softened retelling is just right for both younger and older children (my five- and eight-year olds both loved this alike). It's such a great story, and holds up so beautifully despite the passing of centuries. Every child likes to imagine being bigger, so Gulliver's amazing transformation into the gigantic human among the Lilliputians plays into their most daring fantasies.

The real stand-out here, beyond the simple lines of this wonderful tale, are Gennady Spirin's sumptuous illustrations. Spirin never hits a false note here. Gulliver's clothing is historically correct, and when note is made in the text of the different Lilliputian fashions, you realize that Spirin has given all the little men and women ever-so-slightly-different spins on typical clothing of the time--enough to make them seem a little offbeat, but not enough to make them otherwordly. Spirin is able, through this simple artistic device, to subtly emphasize what Gulliver and his tiny friends have in common, rather than the differences among them.

The colors are gorgeous, and Spirin's work with anything metallic--be it fabric, a gun, or a flagpole--is something to behold. Everything glows, and the detail is magnificent. You could sit and gaze at the illustrations for hours and never be bored--and always find something new to admire. Really a wonderful, wonderful book!

"Gulliver's Travels" is arguably the greatest work on satire written in the English language, but while it might look like a children's book it is not really one. In "Gulliver in Lilliput" the first part of Jonathan Swift's story is retold by Margaret Hodges. This covers Gulliver's shipwreck, his being captured by the miniature Lilliputians, his involvement in the war with Blefuscu, and, in an effort to provide narrative completeness, with return to England. Hodges gets high marks for adapting the story to younger readers, now presented as a children's tale, without completely watering down Swift's sharp satire, although clearly this version emphasizes more of a sense of fun for the proceedings. Hodges is providing an abbreviated version of the original, yet she has managed to keep the important details while working in some of Swift's original language, such as what the Lilliputians say in their own language. Those who have read the original will be impressed with this retelling of the first part of the classic story.

What makes this volume even more special are the sepia-toned pen and watercolor illustrations by Kimberly Bulcken Root. In keeping with the spirit of the story she has worked all sorts of humor and wit into her detailed illustrations of Gulliver in the land of the six-inch tall Lilliputians. You will really want to pay attention to the details of each and every picture, because there is a lot to be found. Taken together, the text and illustrations of "Gulliver in Lilliput" provide a marvelous introduction to Swift's famous tale intended for young readers in grades 3-6. Younger readers might not be able to appreciate Swift's satirical attacks, but the important thing here is that they will develop a sense of affection for the work and one day will pick up the original to enjoy the full force of his assault on the conventions of 18th-century society (my recommendation would be the annotated version of "Gulliver's Travels," which will provide all of the details as to what Swift is really doing).

My son got this for Christmas last year. It took him a while to get to it, but when he started reading it, he was hooked. He did not want this book to end. The artwork is lovely, and the story-telling is first rate as well, with the tale taking a new twist every few pages.

So if you want an adventure story for children, this one should really hold their attention and make them want to read.

Gulliver's Travels is definatley a classic. Anybody looking for a book to read should definatley check into this one if they have not already read it. Even if you have a second time would only do you good! Gullives Travles is a book that can reach most levels of reading with the content. A few words a big, but they can be bypassed. Swift has definatley done himself well with this one, and the great part about it is that if you like the book, there are also movies that can be rented of Gullivers Travels. All in all the book is a good book.