Book Review: The Battle of the Frogs and the Mice; or, Herman Munster drew furry art?
That's right, he did. Sort of.
One of several rather old an hard to find books at my local library is THE BATTLE OF THE FROGS AND THE MICE: An Homeric Fable by George Martin and illustrated by Fred Gwynne. The latter, in case you didn't know, is the name of the man who played (among many other roles) Herman Munster on that old classic 'The Munsters'.
As a boy I didn't know this. All I knoew was that this was one of the most wildly over-the-top books I'd ever seen. The cover art alone is jawdropping to a 12-year-old, showing cute little mice and frogs slicing and stabbing each other. Nor is this tame cartoon violence; they show the blood running. One frog has been impaled to the ground; one mouse has just had his head sliced off; and another mouse is taking a spear to the gut with a look of agony on his face. The art inside the book is no less grotesque. But don't take my word for it, here's some of the interior illustrations to show you what I mean:
http://www.georgewmartin.com/SamplePage1.htm
Pretty raw for a kid's book, even back when this was published (1962).
The stry itself is simply told and all the more effective for that. A mouse named Crum-Snatcher flees from a weasel to the pool of the frogs where he drinks the water. The frog king, Puff-Jaw, demands to know what the mouse is about. They talk, Puff-Jaw takes Crum-Snatcher for a ride on his back, a water snake appears, and Puff-Jaw flees, abandoning Crum-Snatcher to drown. The mice are furious and demand satisfaction. The frogs all refuse, saving only one wise frog named Pond-Larker. Both sides arm for war, gather at the edge of the pond, and battle it out. The story climaxes in a duel between the mouse champion Troglodyte and wise Pond-Larker, who slay each other. Both sides return home sadder and it is implied, no wiser. Especially given that King Puff-Jaw still rules the frogs and has tried to lie his way out of everything. It was really a tragic story to me, even when I wasn't delighted at the mayhem (I was 12, cut me some slack!).
I'd thought the book long gone but re-discovered it yesterday to my joy. It's still a delight and has new depths that were hidden to 12 year old me. If you can find it I think you'll love both the story and the art.
Best all.
One of several rather old an hard to find books at my local library is THE BATTLE OF THE FROGS AND THE MICE: An Homeric Fable by George Martin and illustrated by Fred Gwynne. The latter, in case you didn't know, is the name of the man who played (among many other roles) Herman Munster on that old classic 'The Munsters'.
As a boy I didn't know this. All I knoew was that this was one of the most wildly over-the-top books I'd ever seen. The cover art alone is jawdropping to a 12-year-old, showing cute little mice and frogs slicing and stabbing each other. Nor is this tame cartoon violence; they show the blood running. One frog has been impaled to the ground; one mouse has just had his head sliced off; and another mouse is taking a spear to the gut with a look of agony on his face. The art inside the book is no less grotesque. But don't take my word for it, here's some of the interior illustrations to show you what I mean:
http://www.georgewmartin.com/SamplePage1.htm
Pretty raw for a kid's book, even back when this was published (1962).
The stry itself is simply told and all the more effective for that. A mouse named Crum-Snatcher flees from a weasel to the pool of the frogs where he drinks the water. The frog king, Puff-Jaw, demands to know what the mouse is about. They talk, Puff-Jaw takes Crum-Snatcher for a ride on his back, a water snake appears, and Puff-Jaw flees, abandoning Crum-Snatcher to drown. The mice are furious and demand satisfaction. The frogs all refuse, saving only one wise frog named Pond-Larker. Both sides arm for war, gather at the edge of the pond, and battle it out. The story climaxes in a duel between the mouse champion Troglodyte and wise Pond-Larker, who slay each other. Both sides return home sadder and it is implied, no wiser. Especially given that King Puff-Jaw still rules the frogs and has tried to lie his way out of everything. It was really a tragic story to me, even when I wasn't delighted at the mayhem (I was 12, cut me some slack!).
I'd thought the book long gone but re-discovered it yesterday to my joy. It's still a delight and has new depths that were hidden to 12 year old me. If you can find it I think you'll love both the story and the art.
Best all.