Product Description

The creatures of Redwall-the abbeymice and hares, otters and moles-are planning a surprise feast in their dear Abbot's honor. There is cake to be baked, marchpane to be rolled. Stirring and sifting, smoothing and brewing. Can everything be finished in time? And how can the Redwallers keep such a grand feast from their Abbot's keen eyes? Fans of Brian Jacques's beloved Redwall books will delight in seeing their old friends, brought to life by Christopher Denise's witty, cozy art.

"Spirited and humorous... Denise's affectionate, detailed watercolors bring all the action to life." -Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #493880 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780698118768
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
The creator of the Redwall series turns his hand to verse for this rambling illustrated story featuring the animals of Redwall Abbey: "Lots of woodland creatures/ and all the Abbeymice/ were planning in secret, a marvelous feast/ for their abbot. Now wasn't that nice!" Their only problem is to hide the preparations?fortunately if enigmatically, the old Abbot proposes a "Quest for a Bobbatan Weary Nod" and, along with a few friends, absents himself with a walk in the woods. Meanwhile at the Abbey, as text and art show in equally amusing fashion, the hedgehogs decant barrels of fruit juice, the mice and hares bake and ice cakes, otters prepare hot root soup, and the molechild Bungo raids the food. When the questers return, the Abbot feigns suitable surprise, but the anagram contained in his odd quest reveals that he knew all along ("Abbot's Banquet, Ready Now"). Denise (The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship) creates an animated collection of cozily rustic critters, Beatrix Potter-like in their mix of animal appearance and human habits. But in spite of the thoroughly jovial tone, the book, like the Abbot's quest, is long and excursive, returning to its beginning instead of advancing, and the verse is occasionally clumsy. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-5-Jacques's "Redwall" books have proven immensely popular with a wide range of children. In this book, told in the form of a ballad, the author tries to expand the audience by giving his universe a picture-book treatment. The story is about the efforts of all the mice of Redwall Abbey to prepare a surprise feast for their abbot. To get him out of the way while preparations are made, a quest is invented. The remainder of the tale recounts the often-chaotic arrangements and the abbot's rather uneventful walk. The ending, in which it is revealed through a cipher that the abbot knew of their plans all along, is rather anticlimactic. The text is marred occasionally by awkward rhymes and trite or cute phrases. Where Jacques succeeds is in his marvelous evocation of atmosphere and place. Denise's illustrations lovingly bring the celebration and the animal inhabitants of the abbey to life. The small creatures' characters can be seen in their expressions. For this visual realization of Jacques's fictional world alone, the book is worth a look.
Tim Wadham, Dallas Public Library, TX
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 4^-6. The Redwall saga is known not only for its action and violent battles but also for the sumptuous celebratory feasts, and here, in singsongy verse, Jacques tells the tale of a surprise feast put on for the Father Abbott by the Redwall denizens. While the abbot naps, the Abbeymice, hares, otters, and moles bustle and hustle with much giggling and chuckling, but the preparations move into the highest gear when the abbot goes out on a stroll, questing for a "Bobbatan Weary Nod," which turns out to be a riddle that is answered at the end. Familiar Redwall characters take part--Constance, Matthias, Basil "Stag" Hare, and Cornflower, for instance--and, as usual, there is a mischievous young'un to cause extra laughter. This is Jacques' first illustrated storybook, and Denise's engaging illustrations illuminate all the ebullient characters and tumultuous preparations with wit and verve. Unfortunately, the verse goes on and on, straining to meet its meter and rhyme scheme. As for an audience, it will probably take a reader familiar with the Redwall milieu to appreciate the book, but read aloud in short bursts, it just may introduce younger children to the saga. Sally Estes

Customer Reviews

A GREAT book!
The Redwall series are AWESOME books and so is this. The whole thing rhymes and has wonderful pictures. It is about all the animals in Redwall abbey trying to make a feast for the abbot without him knowing it! Many things happen in the process including a mole child falling in the cake, a barrel of dandelion fizz exploding, and of course making sure the abbot does not find out! Though this book is recommened for 4-8 year olds, I think many Redwall fans will enjoy it and it will also start little children into the amazing Redwall series. This is a GREAT book that I would strongly recomend you go out and buy!

Wonderful introduction to Redwall!
I bought this book because my oldest son (5 years old) saw a part of the Redwall series on PBS. He loved it but the book series is too old for him yet. This book is a great introduction! The pictures are gorgeous and the language and imagery are exquisite. I highly recommend this book and I hope there will be more like it!

Your favorite Redwall characters in pictures
If you like Brian Jacques' Redwall series of stories, then you will like The Great Redwall Feast. As a picture book, it provides colorful, concrete images of characters that you have seen in your imagination. You'll see the mice, moles, hedgehogs, hares, and other animals prepare a surprise feast for their Abbot of Redwall. Without the violence that is characteristic of the Redwall stories, it is well suited for young children. But it is a fun book for older children too, and even adults (like me).