Kirkus Reviews

Switching genders in another traditional tale, the author and illustrator of Kate and the Beanstalk (2000) pit a clever, doughty seamstress against a swarm of flies ("Seven At One Blow"), three giants, a unicorn, a wild boar, and, most dangerous of all, a fearful king with a hundred knights. Whether facing wild beasts, or surrounded by large (sometimes very large) pale, purse-lipped men, the seamstress visibly exudes self-confidence, and though Potter places her in a medieval setting—and the way the heroine addresses her adversaries (" Hey! Unicorn! . . . Over here!' ")—gives this rendition a contemporary flavor. In the end, the seamstress sends the king and 99 of his knights packing; the 100th, who admires her spirit, sticks around to become king and inherit the kingdom with her. As the story is about courage and cleverness overcoming brawn, it's actually improved by a protagonist even smaller and weaker than the tailor in the original—even more so, as Osborne points out in the source note, since its best-known versions, from the Brothers Grimm and Andrew Lang, were probably collected from female storytellers. (Picture book/folktale. 7-9)

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2002)

After killing seven flies at once, a seamstress embroiders "SEVEN WITH ONE BLOW!" on her coat. Upon seeing it, first a giant and then a king assumes, respectively, that she has slain seven giants and seven knights, and they issue physical challenges that she negotiates with her wits. This strong, feminist retelling of the "The Brave Little Tailor" is perfectly complemented by quirky mixed-media illustrations.

ALA Booklist

The dynamic duo that created Kate and the Beanstalk (2000) has concocted another fairy-tale winner with this feminist retelling of The Brave Little Tailor. The whimsically perky, generous text is perfectly matched to the illustrations, in Potter's signature ink-gouache-gesso-watercolors, which affix just the right amount of sauciness to the cheeky heroine who outwits three giants, a unicorn, a wild boar, and the king (and his 100 knights). Of course, the girl marries the knight who warned her of the king's wicked plan to ship her out to sea, then takes over the throne and rules the land. An author's note on the frontispiece accounts for the reworking of the German tale and justifies turning the tailor into a seamstress. Clever touches of humor--the seamstress' corkscrew curls; text pages framed by stitching; and Seven with One Blow sewn on the seamstress' pink coat--add to the fun.

School Library Journal (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2002)

K-Gr 3 The popular story of "The Brave Little Tailor" receives its just revision as a feminist adventure. All of the familiar elements are presentthe jam and the flies, the giants, the unicorn, and the wild boarbut the finale is a delightful twist. The brave little seamstress marries the knight who has told her of the king's plan to be rid of her, and becomes a legendary "kind and wise" and "strong and brave" queen. Osborne, who previously collaborated with Potter on Kate and the Beanstalk (Atheneum, 2000), has crafted another lively tale suited to reading aloud or telling. In a note, the author relates that the Brothers Grimm collected the story from female relatives and that Andrew Lang, whose version she has adapted, relied on his female relatives for retellings and translations. Potter's stylized art, rendered in pencil, ink, gouache, and watercolor, is replete with humorous details. The diminutive but clever seamstress perched on the knee of the huge and slightly befuddled giant sets the tone for this playful version. The palette of greens, browns, and oranges for the giants and the landscapes, and royal purple for the king is appealing. The use of a running stitch design for the title and some page borders adds to the visual treat. A beautifully designed book that children will enjoy and adults will want to share again and again. Susan Pine, New York Public Library