Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2002)

In a brief, simple tale, Humpty Dumpty cowers on top of his wall, afraid he might fall, until enough animal friends gather to help cushion his landing. Bright colors, winsome animal characters, and an especially goofy Humpty will entice new readers to reach the satisfactory conclusion. Use of rhyme and repetition is helpful.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 1-These very basic readers contain simple stories, repetition and rhyme, and colorfully illustrated pages. Big, Big Wall is a retelling of "Humpty Dumpty." Though the mouse and bunny are too small to keep him from cracking, a perky pig comes to the rescue, and the three friends cushion the egg as he tumbles into a flower bed. Dewey and Aruego's art lends whimsical good cheer to this familiar tale with a new twist. The second book is not quite as successful. Jack, a cat, and Sam, a mouse, meet in the first vignette and pronounce their friendship in the second, but the final story wanders into Sam's feelings of being big, little, sad, and, finally, happy on the last page when he and Jack are together. Bowers's illustrations are bold and cheerful. Beginning readers will enjoy their success as they read these stories independently.-Alice Casey Smith, Sayreville Public Schools, Parlin, NJ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

ALA Booklist (Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 2001)

Preschool-Gr. 1. Humpty Dumpty makes it off the wall without a scratch in this Green Light Reader. It's Humpty's friends who come to his rescue: first a mouse, then a rabbit, and finally a small pink pig pile under the nervous egg boy and cushion his fall, with smiles all around. Short sentences in large print set against a white background rhyme and bounce with a simple, pleasing rhythm. Youngest readers will have fun spotting a familiar character, while the clear watercolor drawings have all the motion and brightly colored appeal of an animated TV show.