The Hare and the Tortoise

by Caroline Castle

Relates the events of the famous race between the boastful hare and the persevering tortoise.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 1985

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture-book retelling of the classic fable attributed to Aesop, The Hare and the Tortoise expands upon the original considerably, giving each contender a personality, and adding a cast of secondary characters. When the active Hare, running-mad and a little prone to bragging, comes upon scholarly old Tortoise, out for a picnic, the antagonism between the two comes to a head, and a race is proposed. All the other forest animals get involved, from Badger, who sells tickets, to Mole, who marks out a rather uneven course. Hare is so convinced that he can't lose, that he takes a nap during the course of the race, and... well, we all know what comes next.

I enjoyed Caroline Castle's retelling of this fable, which she transforms into a genuine story, and appreciated Peter Weevers' beautiful full-page watercolor illustrations, as well as the black & white drawings interspersed throughout. His artwork reminded me of E.H. Shepard's illustrations in The Wind in the Willows - a pleasant association. This somewhat older picture-book (1985), is long out-of-print I believe, but is well worth the time of any Aesop enthusiast looking for quality adaptations.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same simple story, nice artwork.

[Sharon Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caroline Castle retells the story of a smug hare who mocks a thoughtful tortoise about his speed. The tortoise challenges the hare to a race and the animal characters, excited about the race, prepare for the big day. A sense of imminent doom for the tortoise looms, as the fast and agile hare prepares for the big event. When the race begins, the hare leaves the tortoise behind and so certain he will win he decides to nap halfway through the course. Upon hearing the cheers of the spectators, he is surprised to learn that the race ends very differently than he had anticipated. This beautiful picture book alternates between colorful and highly detailed illustrations and lightly-drawn pencil sketches that add further details to the story. The fable teaches the reader that if you persist, you will achieve your dreams. Target audience: Ages 5-9.

[Cindy D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an old tale of the hare and the tortoise of which the hare challenges the Tortoise to a race. There is very little change in this storybook from the original tale. This could be used to teach moral value of self awareness and/or if compared with other copies of this tale used for compare and contrast strategy.

[Lan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a classic that was read to me when I was a child. I love this story because of the moral to the story. Even though you are good at something, you should never get too prideful. People should never underestimate others.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing