Misteri Hilangnya Pangeran Oleomargarin

by Philip C. Stead (Adaptation), Mark Twain, Erin E. Stead (Illustrator)

Pada sebuah malam tahun 1879, di sebuah hotel di Paris, Mark Twain duduk-duduk bersama para putrinya, yang memohon agar sang ayah menceritakan sebuah kisah. Mark pun mulai memberi tahu mereka tentang Johnny, seorang bocah miskin yang memiliki biji-biji sihir. Kemudian, Mark membuat coretan kasar di buku, tetapi pada akhirnya kisah itu tak pernah terselesaikan … hingga sekarang.

“Kisah liar dan menakjubkan yang diciptakan Mark Twain secara spontan untuk para putrinya setiap malam.”
—The New York Times

“Menjerat imajinasi para pembaca dari segala usia.”
—USA Today

Genres: Fantasy, Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Humor, Classics

156 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2017

About the author

Philip C. Stead is the author of the Caldecott Medal winning book A Sick Day for Amos McGee, also named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2010 and a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of 2010, illustrated by his wife, Erin E. Stead. Together with Erin, he also created Bear Has a Story to Tell, an E.B. White Read-Aloud Award honor book. Philip, also an artist, has written and illustrated several of his own books including Hello, My Name is Ruby, Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat, A Home for Bird, and his debut Creamed Tuna Fish and Peas on Toast, which was applauded by School Library Journal for “its wry humor and illustrations worthy of a Roald Dahl creation.” Philip lives with Erin and their dog, Wednesday, in a 100-year-old barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Reviews

[~JC · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've been fleeced! Advertizing Mark Twain as the author, or even co-author, of this work is a sales tactic used in shady deals and commonly referred to as "bait-and-switch".

As it turns out, Twain had about as much to do with this story as I do with the colonization of Mars. Some scribbles about magic seeds and a dragon found on the corner of a napkin on the Twain's estate, does not an author make. That backstory, tucked in at the very end of this product, about how M.T. kept notes from these serial bedtime stories he told his own children was actually very heartwarming. They should have lead with that.

So now i'm realizing that im lashing out on a children's book and i should probably wrap this up. Story about the magic beans and dragons and chickens and whatnot is OK, on it's own, in a half-baked kind of way. Involving the Twain character seemed forced. I'm done. Sorry. Illustrations are beautiful.

[cluedupreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sized and designed like a coffee table book, this book is a work of art. (Twain's original manuscript is reproduced on the endleaves, and there's a surprise on the cover, under the dust jacket! 🐓)

At over 150 pages long, it's a story foremost about kindness; infused with humor; addressing famine, death, and war — and the reader (it breaks the fourth wall).

Original in both, content (see Twain's transcript) and format, with illustrations befitting the creative text (containing vocabulary-rich descriptions like "grandiloquent bombast," and sentences like: "There followed now a moment of bumfuzzlement inside the hollow sitting room of the little king's noggin"), this edifying fairy tale will enchant not only its intended audience of eight- to twelve-year-olds, but also children's literature buffs.

An instant classic!

[Jmorenocidoncha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todo un acontecimiento literario a nivel mundial. La única historia infantil escrita por Mark Twain, magistralmente recuperada y concluida por dos de los autores de álbumes ilustrados más reputados de la actualidad: Philip C. Stead y Erin E. Stead.
Es indudable que uno de los sueños de un editor es el poder encontrar un escrito inédito de uno de los grandes autores de la literatura universal, pero aunque pueda causar desconfianza y dar la impresión de que se trata únicamente de una estrategia comercial, esta historia es un maravilloso cuento infantil nuevo e imperecedero. Su valor literario es indudable, el trabajo de edición e ilustración son exquisitos, y es una excelente oportunidad para acercarse a la magistral pluma de un autor clásico, que todavía es verdaderamente revolucionario.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compromise of a rating. 2 stars as a book children will find a way into. 4 stars for lovers of Twain, and clever wordplay. 5 stars for the breath-taking illustrations. With all of the asides and interruptions, this sometimes felt like an inside joke of which most young readers would be left out.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a truly delightful tale, piece together from Twain's notes from a story-telling sessions with his 2 young daughter over 100 years ago! Can you imagine being a child of Twain?! Highly recommend this for lovers of fairytales, Twain, children at heart, or just children.

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Случвало ли ви се е да попаднете на книга, чиято съдба да е едва ли не по-вълнуваща дори от самата книга? Една такава чудна, необичайна и извънредно интригуваща книга е „Похищението над принц Олиомаргарин” (изд. „A&T Publishing”). През 2017 година незавършената приказка на прочутия Марк Твен се превърна в истинска литературна сензация, след като бе открита напълно случайно в университетските архиви на Калифорнийския университет в Бъркли и бе завършена и издадена точно 107 години след смъртта на своя автор. А с нелеката задача да допълни това, което Самуел Лангхорн Клеменс така и не е написал приживе, се заемат Филип Стед и Ерин Стед, съответно в ролите на съавтор и илюстратор. Резултатът е едно повече от любопитно приказно четиво за всички възрасти, за което можем само да се радваме, че най-накрая вижда бял свят. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...

[Neva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Две звездички за чудесните илюстрации. Историята реално не е на Марк Твен (взети са негови бележки отнякъде си и са доразгърнати от неумели, скучни разказвачи) и е възмутително той да фигурира като автор отгоре – чиста измама на американския издател. Освен че текстът е посредствен, на български звучи тромаво и плаче за редакция и корекция, освен за адаптация. Изданието е примамливо, красиво – подарих го на децата на две семейства приятели и сега ме е срам.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a picture book and a fairy tale and a biting social commentary and a conversation with Mark Twain. Highly original and very much worth reading. Bravo!

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This softly colored and beautiful book has the sort of illustrations I loved to pour over as a child and if the text is much more upper elementary to adult, it will give children and parents and future writers lots to talk and think on about how stories are made and about the people, past and present, who make them.

Related article in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/bo...

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twain at the Improv
Several years ago a friend told me about how Mark Twain told bedtime stories: riffing on (giving life to) the objects around the the room to weave together an extraordinarily enchanting entertainment for his daughters. Always thought that interesting. And, well, here now is a book based entirely on notes surviving from that exercise. And it is beautifully illustrated. So. There you go.

[Mir · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure how much of this was really written by Twain, but clearly not enough. Although having the modern author dialog with Twain was probably a better decision that trying to ape his style and filling in the missing pieces, I can't say I enjoyed the end result. I suspect no one would care about this text if it wasn't (partially) by a famous author.

[Hristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atipică, fragmentată, dar adorabilă, totusi.
Minunat ilustrată

[Abi Los Libros Son Mi Mundo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reseña: http://loslibrossonmimundopagina.blog...

[Stefanny Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pertama udah tertarik dari awal kabar buku ini diterbitkan, genrenya pasti middle grade, tapi setelah aku baca, vibe dan alur ceritanya mengingatkan aku sama The Little Prince, tentang kisah seorang anak laki2
Bedanya cerita ini ditulis oleh 2 orang, Mark Twain dan kemudian dilanjutkan oleh sahabatnya.
Ada cukup banyak sindiran2 dalam buku ini, baik untuk beberapa kaum/masyarakat, orang dewasa, dll.
Narasi pembuka di setiap awal bab rasanya agak susah aku pahami, karna disamping ada sindirannya itu tadi,ntah kenapa menurutku gak terlalu nyambung dengan cerita karakter utamanya,

Tapi secara keseluruhan aku cukup suka dengan buku ini, semacam vibenya ada rasa kesepian tapi juga menemukan satu hal baru yg cukup bikin senang (aduh bingung kan jelasinnya 😂)
Yg jelas illustrasi buku ini yg stylenya ala watercolor tipis2 dan gak terlalu detail, cocok banget sama vibe ceritanya
Rekomen 👍👍

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this quote from this magical story—“There are more chickens than a man can know in this world, but an unprovoked kindness is the rarest of birds.” This tale was initially written and never finished by Mark Twain in 1879 and author, Philip Stead, has now completed it. The artwork by Erin Stead truly captures the overall tone of the storyline and makes this book a true keepsake for anyone’s collection. (I just happened to see this at Walmart and had to read it because I love Mark Twain!). A real treat! You can really feel Twain’s love for his children come through as you read this fairy tale he composed for their bedtimes while living in a Paris hotel.

[Craig Ranallo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibly the first Twain I've ever truly enjoyed.

[Leonard Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly probably more like 3.5, but they get the Stead bonus. I've read the Steads have moved to Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula, which is probably my favorite place on Earth, but I worry about this. Yes, Philip Stead's upcoming picture book, All The Animals Where I Live, is probably his best work yet. But Purloining shows symptoms of isolation -- as evidenced by interviews, they've always had a touch of control freakiness to them. But I've learned to feel that protectiveness towards one's work is more of a failing than an asset, and I worry that the creative control that comes with seclusion might exacerbate this. One of the messages of this book is being open to the world, but the writing and art, to a small extent, belie that. It all seems a bit in a bubble. And I know they may claim to embrace a bit of wartiness in their (and other's) work, but I think that's a bit of a cop-out. I do like, a little, the imperfection in their work -- it makes the creators seem real. But a part of me just wants these artists to produce something unquestionably and selflessly great.

My favorite parts are when Erin follows text with some spot drawing in the corner. Not sure why these felt more effective and wonderful than when the contributions are more balanced whether at the same time or in alternation...

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the storytelling and humor and wisdom throughout. One of my favorite quotes:

"There are many accidents of biology that are beyond our control. Some of us are short, some of us are tall. Some of us are weak, some of us are strong. Thankfully, though, personalities are not born ugly; they are learned ugly."

[Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Quick read, but excellent in every way. When your daughter sincerely claps and smiles widely after finishing the last three pages, you know you've got a winner. I hope this is one my kids continue to choose for bedtime stories. And I hope they remember this and use it as a gateway to classics later in life.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fable about kindness, acceptance, and loving your neighbors, a message that can always be welcome for youngsters and oldsters alike. Mark Twain began this as a bedtime story for his children and never did finish it. The baton was passed to Caldecott Medal winners Philip (author) and Erin (illustrator) Stead for completion.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing "collaboration" and could serve well to engage young readers with the works of Mark Twain beyond his most iconic titles.

[Pradnya Paramitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dongeng macam apa sih yang kubaca barusan ini?? 🤣🤣

Aku nggak tahu apakah yang genius di sini adalah Mark Twain atau Philip Stead. Jadi, berdasarkan catatan di belakang, buku ini terlahir dari fragmen-fragmen catatan kecil dongeng twain (yang nggak jelas) untuk kedua putrinya, yang kemudian dirajut oleh Philip Stead sehingga jadi satu cerita panjang.

Dongeng ini berjalan dalam dua dunia. Yang pertama adalah dunia dongeng itu sendiri, tentang bocah bernama Johnny yang selalu apes, lalu mendapat hadiah kacang dari janda kelaparan, yang membuat dia bisa ngobrol dengan hewan-hewan. Dunia yang kedua adalah dunia Twain dan Philip, sebuah percakapan imajiner Philip dengan Twain, tentang bagaimana dongeng ini dibuat. Bagian ini kocak banget karena mereka mengomentari dan mengritik dongeng yang mereka buat sendiri.

Plotnya lumayan absurd, terutama waktu Twain tiba-tiba hilang, dan teman cerita Philip digantikan oleh seekor musang. Iya, musang yang terus-terusan minta camilan. Lalu si musang mempertanyakan kenapa ayam Johnnny yang hilang tiba-tiba kembali, dan jawaban Philip sangat masuk akal.

Yang paling menampol adalah dialog bagian akhir antara musang dan Philip tentang nasib si ayam yang namanya Wabah & Kelaparan (ini satu ayam, emang namanya begitu).

Philip bilang, "Dia (si ayam) hidup hingga seratus tahun."

Musang protes, "Ayam tidak mungkin hidup sampai selama itu."

Philip menjawab dengan kalem, "Ayam yang ini bisa."

Wkwk bagian ini bikin teriak "Woii Philip, Anda niat bikin plot tidak sih? Hahahah". Rasanya ini kayak ngeledek semua usahaku untuk bikin plot, karakter, dan ending cerita yang logis dan nggak bolong. Gapapa, namanya juga dongeng. Hihi

Ini karya yang super absurd, sampai aku sering bertanya-tanya, udah tahu ceritanya absurd kok masih dibaca aja? Tapi percayalah, ini sangat seruuu.

[raafi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buku ini kutunggu-tunggu sejak tahun lalu ketika managing editor Noura Books membeberkan akan menerbitkan edisi bahasa Indonesia-nya. Setelah terbit, beruntung sekali mendapatkan buku ini dengan diskon lumayan miring berkat seorang teman.

Buku ini unik. Kisah fantasi berbalut nilai moral yang cocok untuk anak-anak. Seperti mencampur kisah klasik dengan aura kekinian yang menurutku terasa. Bagaimana tidak?! Seorang Mark Twain yang tersohor dengan karya klasiknya berpadu dengan pencerita anak-anak Philip C. Stead yang sempat memenangi Caldecott Medal.

Semakin ke belakang, cerita dalam buku ini mengingatkanku pada dr. Dollitle yang bisa bicara dengan hewan dan Lion King karena buku ini penuh karakter hewan.

[Lesr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delight. The illustrations were great.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sat on my to-read-shelf for such a long time, yet once I opened it up and started reading, I regretted waiting so long to meet Johnny and his animal friends. Johnny has the magical power to communicate with creatures in this ingenious meandering fable about poor young Johnny, his cruel grandfather, and his hard scrabbled life. Philip and Erin Stead use notes from a bedtime story that Mark Twain told his young daughters long ago. Within the story Philip Stead talks directly to the reader restating the story Mark Twain is telling him, until the last quarter of the book. At this point Mark Twain disappears, and an impatient weasel becomes his audience. Selfless Johnny goes on an adventure, begun by his grandfather's orders for him to go to market and sell his chicken named "Pestilence and Famine." Sad to have to sell his only friend the chicken, obedient Johnny starts his long journey. Many obstacles complicate his mission, yet enough problems occur to keep the storyline compelling. This beautifully told fairy tale contains sophisticated writing and advanced vocabulary on every page, I admit not being familiar with the word "purloining"just like Johnny in the story. All of the wise phrases by the narrator (Twain/Stead) are stimulating, "I tell you this, there are more chickens than a man can know in the world, but an unprovoked kindness is the rarest of birds." This is a story to savor, read aloud, gather many new rich words, and enjoy the beautiful writing of Philip Stead and Mark Twain. The exquisite illustrations created using woodblock printing and pencil enrich the expression, compassion, and empathy of wise African American Johnny and his new found animal friends. This is just as refreshing for adults to read, as for older elementary students who enjoy imaginative sophisticated allegories.

[Luca Terrasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is instantly a classic for me. It truly is a beautiful story about the importance of friendship; the most valuable type of riches. The story flows between each word and picture so beautifully, it is truly a privilege to read. Although the story is short, it is enjoyable and quite hard to put down. Everything about this book is great and perfect. The hardcover version has a nice print under the dust jacket, celebrating one of the most memorable sentences in the book. I recommend this lovely work of literature for any animal lover or reader with time to kill. The book was highly enjoyable from start to finish and I hope this review helps you decide whether or not to continue your adventures in literature through "The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine".

[David Dunlap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spun from some fragmentary journal notes regarding a bedtime fairy tale Mark Twain had told his daughters in 1879, 'The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine' tells of an impoverished lad and his adventures with a chicken. A random act of kindness shown an old blind woman results in Johnny's being given some magical blue seeds, which lead to a further odyssey involving a skunk and a variety of animals in search of the missing title prince. -- Charming story with traces of Twain's wit and insight, as completed by a Caldecott-winning author Philip Stead and beautifully illustrated by Stead's Caldecott-winning wife Erin.

[Penny Peck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This unusual oversized illustrated short story is quirky but very memorable and inviting; Stead took an incomplete draft of a short story by Mark Twain and expanded it so it is now a full, original tale. Using some fairy tale elements, the story concerns a boy who can converse with animals, and how he uses that talent to stop some royal rulers. The narrative is paired with large illustrations, accomplished using woodblock prints and pencil, and the artwork expands on the relatively brief text and helps with the story's measured pacing. This would make a nice family or classroom read-aloud over several days (or nights), that appeals to a wide age range.

[Ann Checketts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun, silly story. I listened to it with my kids. My youngest (7yo) had a bit of a harder time following it (2 stories in one), but my other two kids who listened enjoyed it more (10yo, 12yo). It made me laugh out loud a couple of times. The chicken is named “Pestilence and Famine.” That made me chuckle every time they said it.

[Book Buying With Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fairy tale for our time. Gorgeously written and illustrated and filled with humor, poignancy and wisdom. Just as much for adults as for children. I kind of want to buy it for everyone for Christmas.