Doctor De Soto

From the incomparable William Steig, creator of Shrek, comes a story that proves even a fox can be out-foxed by a clever mouse in Doctor De Soto, a Newbery Honor Book. "Doctor De Soto, the dentist, did very good work." With the aid of his able assistant, Mrs. De Soto, he copes with the toothaches of animals large and small. His expertise is so great that his fortunate patients never feel any pain. Since he's a mouse, Doctor De Soto refuses to treat "dangerous" animals--that is, animals who have a taste for mice. But one day a fox shows up and begs for relief from the tooth that's killing him. How can the kindhearted De Sotos turn him away? But how can they make sure that the fox doesn't give in to his baser instincts once his tooth is fixed? Those clever De Sotos will find a way. Doctor De Soto is a 1982 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1983 Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards Honor Book for Picture Books, and a 1983 Newbery Honor Book. Made into an animated short film in 1984 by American director and animator Michael Sporn.

In the further adventures of the hero from the Newbery Honor-winning Doctor De Soto, the diminutive dentist is summoned by cablegram to Africa to aid Mudambo, an elephant with an unbearable toothache. Children's Choices for 1993 (IRA/CBC)

Roland the pig plays the lute and sings so sweetly that his friends never have enough of listening to him. He has bigger dreams, though, so he decides to take his show on the road and share his music with the world. He has a hard time finding an audience and is lonely at first, but then a fox named Sebastian appears and offers to take him to perform before the King. Little does Roland know, Sebastian actually plans on eating him. Just as Sebastian starts to lower Roland over a firepit to roast him and all seems lost, the King appears to save the day, and both Sebastian and Roland get the ending they deserve. Roland the Minstrel Pig is a classic picture book by Shrek creator William Steig.

One fresh and fair summer day, as soon as his parents go out, Gorky sets up his laboratory by the kitchen sink to have another try at concocting a magic potion. This time he strikes upon the missing ingredient--half a bottle of his mother's attar of roses--and he knows it's success at last. While he is waiting for the bubbly, glinting liquid to show what it can do, he heads over to Elephant Rock, "his best spot for doing nothing." But on the way he stops to bask in the sun, soon falls asleep--and wakes to find himself floating in the immensely blue sky, clutching his bottle of magic. There follows the most astonishing, bewildering, and bedazzling adventure a young frog could possibly have. Orbiting the globe has its ups and downs, however, and Gorky soon begins to wonder if he'll ever get back to earth. He does manage to outwit the magic; but the potion saves a last surprise until Gorky reaches Elephant Rock, just on day later than he had planned. Gorky Rises is a 1980 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Notable Children's Book of the Year, and Outstanding Book of the Year.

Amos the mouse and Boris the whale: a devoted pair of friends with nothing at all in common, except good hearts and a willingness to help their fellow mammal. They meet after Amos sets out to sea in his homemade boat, the Rodent, and soon finds himself in extreme need of rescue. Enter Boris. But there will come a day, long after Boris has gone back to a life of whaling about and Amos has gone back to his life of mousing around, when the tiny mouse must find a way to rescue the great whale. The tender yet comical story of this friendship is recorded in text and pictures that are a model of rich simplicity. Here, with apparent ease and concealed virtuosity, Caldecott medalist William Steig brings two winning heroes to life. Amos & Boris is a 1971 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Notable Children's Book of the Year, and Outstanding Book of the Year.

William Steig's Doctor De Soto, now available in Spanish, is a 1982 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1983 Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards Honor Book for Picture Books, and a 1983 Newbery Honor Book. El Doctor De Soto es un dentista que siempre hace buen trabajo. Con la ayuda de su capaz asistente, la Señora De Soto, el maneja los dolores de dientes de los animales grandes y pequeños. Su experiencia es tan grande que sus pacientes afortunados nunca sienten dolor alguno. Al ser un ratón, el Doctor De Soto se rehúsa a tratar animales "peligrosos"—es decir, animales con un gusto por los ratones. Pero un día un zorro se aparece y ruega por algún alivio del dolor severo que siente en su diente. ¿Cómo pueden los De Sotos bondadosos rechazar al zorro? Pero, ¿cómo se pueden asegurar que el zorro no cederá a sus instintos básicos tan pronto su diente haya sido arreglado? Los listos De Sotos encontrarán la manera. Doctor De Soto es un Libro Notable de Niños del Año 1982 seleccionado por el New York Times Book Review y un Libro Destacado del Año 1982, un Libro de Honor en Libros Ilustrados de 1983 en los Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards, y un Libro de Honor Newberry de 1983.

The Amazing Bone is a 1976 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1977 Caldecott Honor Book, and a 1977 Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards Honor Book for Picture Books. William Steig, incomparable master of the contemporary picture book, has never been better than in The Amazing Bone. It's a bright and beautiful spring day, and Pearl, a pig, is dawdling on her way home from school. Most unexpectedly, she strikes up an acquaintance with a small bone. "You talk?" says Pearl. "In any language," says the bone. "And I can imitate any sound there is." (Its former owner was a witch.) Pearl and the bone immediately take a liking to each other, and before you know it she is on her way home with the bone in her purse, left open so they can continue their conversation. Won't her parents be surprised when she introduces her talking bone! But before that happy moment comes, the resourceful bone must deal with a band of highway robbers in Halloween masks and, worse, a fox who decides that Pearl will be his main course at dinner that night. And deal it does, with gambits droll and thrilling. Made into a short animated film voiced by John Lithgow, available on streaming and home video.

Yellow & Pink is a witty picture book by William Steig, the creator of Shrek. On a fine day, a thin, yellow puppet and a round, pink puppet sit in the sun. They wonder where they came from. Were they an accident of nature, created by a series of possible but improbable events? Did someone create them? They discuss their theories, and think they may have an answer. But just as they settle on a solution, a man arrives who raises new questions. Praise for Yellow & Pink: "One marvels at the expressiveness, the nearness to animation, of Steig's vibrant drawings." -The Washington Post Book World "A comic fable that has more clout than the most fervent homily." -Publishers Weekly "Illustrated with simple three-color drawings, this is a book that will delight adults as well as children and lead to some very interesting discussions!" -Children's Literature

Sylvester the donkey finds a magic pebble and unthinkingly wishes himself a rock when frightened by a lion. Although safe from the lion, Sylvester cannot hold the pebble to wish himself into a donkey again. Caldecott Medal winner. Full-color illustrations.

"It is almost Friday night. Outside, the dark is getting darker," and here and there around the city ninety-two men and thirteen women are getting dressed to go to work. First they bathe and put on their underwear. Then they don special black-and-white apparel. Then when the one hundred and five people are completely ready, each takes a musical instrument and travels to midtown. There, at 8:30 tonight, they will work together: playing. In these pages Karla Kuskin and Marc Simont combine their talents to give us a delightful and unusual inside view of one way an orchestra prepares. Nominee, 1983 American Book Award Notable Children's Books of 1983 (ALA) 1983 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book) Outstanding Children's Books of 1982 (NYT) A Reading Rainbow Selection 1983 Teachers' Choices (NCTE) Children's Books of 1982 (Library of Congress)