Product Description

These whimsical, timeless tales, by one of our most treasured poets, will appeal to any generation.

The four tales in this enchanting, newly illustrated volume, tell of lonely and extraordinary characters finding friendship in unlikely companions. In "The Old Man Who Said Why" a wise fairy's kind nature is taxed when one old man's questions throw the entire heavens into madness. In "The Elephant and the Butterfly" and "The House That Ate Mosquito Pie" shyness is overcome by the compelling love of new friends. "The Little Girl Named I" is a conversation between the author and a small girl, in the manner of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh.

Clever, insightful, and magical, peopled with vivid characters—a house that prefers one bird to any human inhabitants, an elephant paralyzed with delight, a fairy who "always breakfasted on light and silence"—here are tales as only Cummings could write them. A delightful and surprising gift for anyone, young or old. 21 watercolors.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #206962 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 64 pages

About the Author
E. E. Cummings's (1894-1962) work, including The Complete Poems, is published by Liveright.

Customer Reviews

Surprisingly Edward Estlin, or not?
These fairy tales are beautifully nonsensical and touching to even those who are less than sentimental. They are precious, without any reservation using such a word. Each was evidently written with a careful, loving authorship and a sense of humor that without a doubt is the creative quirkiness of the poet Edward Estlin Cummings. If you know the poet, the tender, innocent personalness of these tales might even surprise you, or, at least, bring you closer to him and his writings.

Charming.
The dedication of this volume tells us that Cummings wrote these tales for his daughter when she was a very little girl. But even if it hadn't, any reader would have known. As you read, it's as if you can hear a parent telling the stories to his child over a sleepy bedtime. The stories have an effortless feeling as if they are being spoken rather than written. This free and easy quality combined with the spectacularly imaginative subjects make for a really fun reading experience.

Unless you have a really patient child, however, I wouldn't recommend this edition for sit-on-the-lap reading. The illustrations aren't particularly engaging. Rather, I would let your kids sit down with some blank paper and a box of crayons and ask them to draw their own pictures while you read out loud to them. Or read to them at bedtime when their eyes are closed. These are the kinds of stories to be savored by the senses rather than "follow-along-while-I-read."

cummings rocks my world
this book of fairytales is one of the sweetest books i have ever read. i got it about 11 years ago when i was six. i lost it for about eight years, than it resurfaced only for it to burn in fire soon after. i couldn't find this book ANYWHERE! and now that i've found it again i could cry! everyone should read this book, it is sweet, it flows well, and rather satisfying. my personal favourite story is the one about the elephant and the butterfly. quite possibly the most romantic story to ever surface. this book made me laugh cry and smile and everyone should read it. e.e. cummings rocks my world.