From: lhendr at unm.edu <lhendr>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 22:04:58 -0600 (MDT)

I forgot to say a couple of other things about Arlene Sardine that I'm not sure anyone has mentioned, and that is the strong connection I see between this book and Hans Christian Andersen's tales -- The Little Fir Tree for instance, or even the Little Match Girl. So many of Andersen's tales are about death. Also, Sendak's interpretation of the Grimms' "Dear Milli," a book which also provoked strong reactions. Also, the work of Margaret Wise Brown -- I'm thinking specifically of The Dead Bird, but there is something unsentimental in Brown that I think is also here in Raschka. The comment on how far removed we are from awareness of the food chain seems appropriate to recall here. I suspect that Brown, who not only cherished animals as pets, but lived in their furs, would find a kindred spirit in Raschka.

Is part of the task of a reviewer to place the book in some kind of literary context?

Linnea Hendrickson Lhendr at unm.edu
Received on Wed 23 Sep 1998 11:04:58 PM CDT