Rip Van Winkle / Gulliver's Travels

These retellings by Jim Weiss capture the spirit of the original stories while adding drama and interest for the younger listener. Weiss sets the stage for ""Rip Van Winkle"" by giving a brief background on Washington Irving, his Knickerbocker tales, and his beloved Hudson River Valley. Side on includes ""Rip's Rap"", a short rap version of the tale. Side two retells Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput and concludes with a traditional tale of honesty triumphing over deception. Weiss bring energy and creativity to these selections. He expertly handles several characters plus the narration and easily involves the listener. Good for school and library use. (Grades 3-8)""

-Booklist (1993)


""Listening enjoyment comes from a variety of literature: modern classic stories, a traditional Jewish tale, and an original rap. Before Jim Weiss tells ""Rip Van Winkle"", he presents biographical material about the story's author, Washington Irving. Consistent and creative voice variation is certainly the teller's strength. Dame Van Winkle's nagging has never been so much fun! The same strong voice variation, good expression, and excellent pacing are evident in an excerpt of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Great humour helps us enjoy the telling of ""Fools Fold"" the story of a wise rabbi who has to choose between helping a rich man or a poor man when a bag of gold has been found. Children in both public and school libraries will enjoy listening to this well produced tape containing good stories and featuring an excellent storyteller.""

-School Library Journal (1993)