A Carousel Tale

Ernst #3

by Elisa Kleven

Ernst loves the carousel near his house, and his favorite animal is the dog. When the dog’s wooden tail comes loose just before winter, Ernst is given the important job of keeping it safe until springtime.

But the tail looks sad sitting on Ernst’s shelf without its dog, and Ernst can’t help but try to cheer it up. It isn’t long before he has transformed the lonely tail into something wonderful!

As spring approaches, Ernst wonders if he will have to give up his special creation. And if he doesn’t, what will the poor dog have to wag? The imaginative crocodile from Ernst and The Puddle Pail shines once again in a story that children will treasure.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Art, Fiction

38 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Elisa Kleven is the author and/or illustrator of over 30 childrens picture books. Favorites with children and adults alike, Elisa's books have received awards and honors from the American Library Association, The New York Times , The Junior Library Guild, School Library Journal, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Her pictures from Abuela are part of a traveling show organized by the Minnesota Children's Museum, and her story The Paper Princess has been adapted for two theater productions, one in Ireland and the other in California. Elisa lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family and pets. To learn more about Elisa and her books, please visit her web site: www.elisakleven.com

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this "tale" about a carousel TAIL, the tale of a young Ernst and the wagging tail of his favorite carousel animal, the dog. Ernst loves the dog, especially because his tale wags--even though his older brother says it just wobbles because it is old and broken. Ernst is heartbroken when the carousel is put into storage for the winter, but as he leaves the fair he sees the dog's tail on the ground! The carousel owner kindly offers to let Ernst watch over the tail until next season. But Ernst's creativity soon transforms the tail into a beautiful work of art, one that he becomes fond of in its own right. What will he do when it's time to put the tail back on the dog?!?

This is a gentle and generous tale that shows just how attached children become to "objects"--how truly ALIVE they are in the child's mind and heart, and how even as children we have a need to love and care for something/one other than ourselves. I found the illustrations colorful and imaginative and full of emotion. One of my favorite reads of the year thus far!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ernst, the "small blue crocodile" whose adventures began in the eponymous Ernst , and continued in The Puddle Pail , returns in this, his third book - and thank goodness for that! I have not had the pleasure of reading these earlier titles (I was unaware of them, actually), but A Carousel Tale is enough to convince me that I need to rectify that! A sweet story, in which our young crocodilian hero is entrusted with the tail of a wooden carousel dog - his favorite of all the carousel animals - when it falls off one winter, it offers a charming depiction of a creative young boy and his imaginative play. Convinced that the tail is lonely, Ernst transforms it into an entirely new plaything, growing very fond of it in the process. But will he be able to give it back, in the spring...?

The story itself is engaging - I particularly liked the dynamic between Ernst and his older brother Sol - but the true pleasure of this book comes from the beautiful collage illustrations, done in watercolor, ink, pastel, and colored pencil. Gorgeous patterns and colors are combined on every page, as Kleven mixes and matches different visual elements in a never-ending visual dance. Beautiful, endearing (but never "cutesy"), and visually stimulating, this artwork invites the reader to look, and then look again. This is my first Elisa Kleven title, but I suspect it won't be my last!

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, sometimes I question how easily I am entertained, but I really enjoyed this story. I read it because I liked another book about Ernst the crocodile: The Puddle Pail.

Ernst is imaginative and creative and artistic, and kind. The dog on the carousel would have been my favorite animal too. I love that Ernst and his brother Sol have a pet cat, and I love all their toys, I love that the carousel keeper is an elephant; I love everything in the book. I especially appreciate how Ernst’s creation and his concerns are both valued, and I love how the dog receives a new tail, importantly still wagging.

The illustrations are lovely and fun to view: very colorful and with a lot of detail.

[Sara Lemonade · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young blue crocodile named Ernst takes the broken-off tail from his favorite carousel dog and makes it into a pet bird. He treats the severed-dog-tail bird like royalty. This story is a little strange.

[Cary Stough · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mighty refutation of Klein, where the partial object--rather than fantastical, rather than simply waiting to be "wholed"--is a potential for production. Or both a function of, and potential for, production.

I think Kleven is extremely deft in pulling this off. Due in large to the willful obscuring of what constitutes a sign of life. For example, it would have been one thing to illustrate the difference between living beings and dead matter by drawing the distinction between the dragon protagonists and the "otherwise" animal carousel pieces. But this is troubled by the fact that the carousel keeper, the elephant.

As a result, everything from the objects of enjoyment (carousel characters) to the works of art (the bird) seem imminently capable of taking flight. And, in the case of Ernst's earnestness, who are we to say they don't?

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ernst who stars in this tale is a blue crocodile. I liked him right from the start because my father's birth name was Ernst, too.

This Ernst is a carousel lover. Fortunately, one is located right near his house. By far his favorite animal ion the carousel is the crocodile. Joke.

It's a dog. Unfortunately that dog’s tail fall off. What with one thing and another, Ernst agrees to keep that tail safe until springtime.

Ernst has a real knack, it turns out. He might wish to quit his day job -- if he had one -- to become a transformational veterinarian to animals made of wood.

No more hints, though. No spoilers from me, no no!

Behold the happy ending, Goodreaders. It's a delight. FIVE STARS to Elisa Kleven, who quirkily wrote and illustrated this adorable fantasy of a picture book.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cute little story is enhanced by the wonderful artwork. The colors are softly bright (I know that seems like an oxymoron but that is the best way I can describe it) and there is always something pleasant to see in the background of each page.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alligator loves riding the dog on the carousel at the park. When the park is closing for the winter he finds the dogs broken tail and cars for it until opening day again. Cute pictures ok story.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved the colorful photos and the sweet tale. My 9 year old twins and I could totally relate to getting attached to something and needing to come up with a new plan!

[Linneabooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book there was a crocodile named Ernst that loved a honey-colored dog in a carousel. Everyday Ernst rode on the honey-colored dog, his favourite. Another day when he came to the carousel there was a blue tent that covered the carousel for the winter. He was really sad that the carousel was gone. On the way home he was kicking an old scrap of a branch. After a few kicks, he realized he wasn't an old scrap of a branch! He realized it was the dog's tail! His favourite! The honey-colored dog! He ran back to the carousel to tell the carousel keeper. She was sad that the dog's tail was gone. She gave the tail to Ernst for the winter. His big brother Sol said, What do you have there, Ernst?" "The dog's tale. The carousel keeper let me keep for the winter, " said Ernst. Ernst turn it into a beautiful bird with paint and paper for the eyes and tail. He felt really happy about that bird.

One day Ernst forgot that his bird had ever been a tale. When he saw the carousel he remembered that his bird HAD been a tale. The carousel keeper said hi to him and said that he could ride on his dog again. His big brother Sol said, "you're in trouble now!" The carousel keeper told him he could keep the bird and they would make a new tale for the dog.

I thought the book was really good because it was fun. I really like Ernst because he was so nice.

[Dodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kleven's illustrations are gorgeous, supporting a very sweet story about little blue crocodile Ernst's love for a wooden carousel dog. His favorite part, the wagging tail, falls off and he is asked to care for it over the winter. He adds some decoration to it, to keep the tail from "becoming lonely", and the tail is soon transformed into a beautiful bird. Ernst also has to overcome the pessimistic attitude of his big brother Sol, which has its own lesson.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ernst transforms the wooden tail that has fallen from his favorite carousel animal into a bird. I like the bright, whimsical art, the grown-up who doesn't get mad at Ernst's creativity but instead helps Ernst with a solution, and the act of making cool art out of something another might see as junk.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ernst adores riding the carousel. When they close the carousel for winter, he sees the tail of his favorite wooden dog. He is allowed to take care of it for the winter and decorate the tail to the point that it becomes his toy bird.
My favorite picture is when Ernst makes a carousel out of items in his room as it is colorful and cute.

[Karen C · Rating 4 out of 5]

So clever and imaginative. Kleven consistently delivers cool stories that stand out from standard fare.

[Tina B · Rating 4 out of 5]

blue alligator, reuse, recycle, carousel, starred review

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children will feel the magic in this book about a carousel dog's tail and its transformation over the winter while in the care of Ernst the crocodile. The ending is sweet.

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both my boys (ages 4 & 8) enjoyed this story about a little blue alligator who loved the carousel.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story for young kids that love animals and riding carousel's!

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gift from our cousins for Tommy's third birthday. Beautiful watercolor illustrations for this story of a blue alligator and a carousel in the park.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gift from our cousins for Tommy's third birthday. Beautiful watercolor illustrations for this story of a blue alligator and a carousel in the park.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gift from our cousins for Tommy's third birthday. Beautiful watercolor illustrations for this story of a blue alligator and a carousel in the park.

[Deana]

Beautiful illustrations and a very sweet story. Too long for baby storytimes, but might be good for pre-k.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really sure what to make of this. I think it. I think it would happen like this too.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly cute book that rewards creativity. The illustrations in this book were really cute and made it stand out. It is for the early grade school reader.