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Graphic Spin
Tom Thumb
Being no larger than a thumb means tiny Tom must face big threats on a daily basis -- even within the confines of his loving parents' cozy home. Tom's plucky fearlessness and his thirst for adventure help him outmaneuver hungry house cats and dodge deadly morsels of falling food with ease. But Tom's life is turned upside down when he leaves the relative safety of his parents' house and enters the wide world outside! Lost and alone, Tom Thumb will have to overcome colossal dangers to survive his perilous journey home.
40 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 6, 2024
Yes, what Scott Sonneborn (text) and Nelson Evergreen (artwork) provide with their 2011 graphic novel Tom Thumb is both narrationally and also illustratively delightful, represents a successful and engaging marriage of text and images working really and wonderfully well together, with Sonneborn's printed words for Tom Thumb being mirrored and often also expanded on by Evergreen's lively, colourful and motion-filled artwork, showing a fun and engaging graphic novel account of diminutive Tom Thumb, his many escapades and how Tom even with his thumb-sized stature always manages with imagination, ingenuity and an attitude of self assured optimism to succeed and to remain on top so to speak, to continuously win through (simply penned, delightfully drawn and in my opinion a superb reading experience for reluctant and/or early readers from about the age of six or so onwards, although older readers might also find Tom Thumb nicely entertaining even if a bit facile).
And even though I do generally enjoy unillustrated texts rather more than graphic novels, both my inner child and my older adult reading self have certainly found Tom Thumb and how Scott Sonneborn textually presents Tom's first person voice absolutely wonderful intensely pleasurable (full of humour and an attitude of not only I think I can but of I know I can) and actually often equally laugh out loud funny, and with Nelson Evergreen's pictures not only reflecting but also often expanding on and indeed augmenting the verbal humour of Sonneborn's words and hugely increasing my urge to giggle and laugh (like for example, how when in Tom Thumb Tom defeats the thief, while Scott Sonneborn's presented narrative is already quite funny in and of itself, Evergreen's illustrations of Tom cutting through the rogue's belt and having him stand embarrassed without either his trousers or his weapons sure makes me hugely, massively and lastingly giggle).
Finally and with regard to my star rating for Tom Thumb, I do have to admit feeling just a trifle conflicted. Because while as a story in and of itself, Tom Thumb is definitely a five star reading experience for me (both textually and also aesthetically, visually speaking, and definitely making me feel nicely happy), I also and frustratingly am quite annoyed with Tom Thumb being labelled as a retelling of the Brothers Grimm tale of Daumesdick (of Thumbling or of course Tom Thumb) in the author's note.
For come on, what is being presented by Sonneborn verbally and by Evergreen illustratively in Tom Thumb is not really an adaptation of Daumesdick but is instead an original story presented in the spirit of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and that Scott Sonneborn considering Tom Thumb as a retelling of Daumesdick is therefore and in my opinion not all that folkloricly sound (for the specific contents of Tom Thumb do not at all equal Daumesdick and with my rating for Tom Thumb thus needing to be lowered from five to a high four stars since a fairy tale retelling/adaptation should in my opinion at least be similar or even the same contents wise).
And even though I do generally enjoy unillustrated texts rather more than graphic novels, both my inner child and my older adult reading self have certainly found Tom Thumb and how Scott Sonneborn textually presents Tom's first person voice absolutely wonderful intensely pleasurable (full of humour and an attitude of not only I think I can but of I know I can) and actually often equally laugh out loud funny, and with Nelson Evergreen's pictures not only reflecting but also often expanding on and indeed augmenting the verbal humour of Sonneborn's words and hugely increasing my urge to giggle and laugh (like for example, how when in Tom Thumb Tom defeats the thief, while Scott Sonneborn's presented narrative is already quite funny in and of itself, Evergreen's illustrations of Tom cutting through the rogue's belt and having him stand embarrassed without either his trousers or his weapons sure makes me hugely, massively and lastingly giggle).
Finally and with regard to my star rating for Tom Thumb, I do have to admit feeling just a trifle conflicted. Because while as a story in and of itself, Tom Thumb is definitely a five star reading experience for me (both textually and also aesthetically, visually speaking, and definitely making me feel nicely happy), I also and frustratingly am quite annoyed with Tom Thumb being labelled as a retelling of the Brothers Grimm tale of Daumesdick (of Thumbling or of course Tom Thumb) in the author's note.
For come on, what is being presented by Sonneborn verbally and by Evergreen illustratively in Tom Thumb is not really an adaptation of Daumesdick but is instead an original story presented in the spirit of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and that Scott Sonneborn considering Tom Thumb as a retelling of Daumesdick is therefore and in my opinion not all that folkloricly sound (for the specific contents of Tom Thumb do not at all equal Daumesdick and with my rating for Tom Thumb thus needing to be lowered from five to a high four stars since a fairy tale retelling/adaptation should in my opinion at least be similar or even the same contents wise).
July 12, 2024
because Manybooks liked it, despite it being Graphic Spin ...
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Yes, pretty good. I don't remember the original too well, and the back matter doesn't show it, but that's ok. It feels close enough. And it's plenty exciting! Illustrations suit.
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Yes, pretty good. I don't remember the original too well, and the back matter doesn't show it, but that's ok. It feels close enough. And it's plenty exciting! Illustrations suit.
April 19, 2012
A very fun adaptation of this classic story. Wonderfully appropriate illustrations.
December 2, 2023
You had me at little sir
August 28, 2020
Somewhat funny
December 18, 2014
Good graphic novel for the younger or reluctant reader. The illustrations are bright and colorful the writing is sparse and not too challenging. Easy to follow with lots of action in the story and graphics. The back even has some discussion questions and writing prompts and vocabulary words, which is unique. Not much to say about the story, it the classic tale of Tom Thumb.
April 2, 2015
Graphic Novel #1
This text (obviously) reminds me of the Grimm Fairy Tale Tom Thumb, as well as the story of David and Goliath.
The story of Tom Thumb reminds me to be resourceful, that no matter what the situation is, there is a way to overcome it.
Tom Thumb is a story of overcoming the odds, such as Kerri Strug landing a vault at the Olympics, even thought she was injured.
This text (obviously) reminds me of the Grimm Fairy Tale Tom Thumb, as well as the story of David and Goliath.
The story of Tom Thumb reminds me to be resourceful, that no matter what the situation is, there is a way to overcome it.
Tom Thumb is a story of overcoming the odds, such as Kerri Strug landing a vault at the Olympics, even thought she was injured.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews