Lobster Press is delighted to offer a free Teachers' Guide and Lesson
Plan for Natalie Rompella's clever twist on the Poe classic,
The Tell-Tale Heart.
Click here for our free support materials for educators, including the new Guide for Edgar, Allan, and Poe, and the Tell-Tale Beets.Here's what critics are saying about
Edgar, Allan, and Poe, and the Tell-Tale Beets:
“Children
will easily relate to the boys even if they aren't familiar with
Poe's story. The suspense leading to the revelation is well done and
the atmospheric and detailed illustrations work well to enhance the
narrative. The look on the boy's face as he divulges their deed is
priceless.” –
School Library Journal, Nov. 2009
“...
fabulous ... All the details of the Tell-Tale Beets are
horrifically displayed in lively, grotesque, darkly colorful,
imaginative illustrations ... will appeal to children ages 4-7 with
just the right combination of whimsey and (light) gloom.” –
Midwest Book Review, Nov. 2009
“This
engaging picture book works on several levels. For the youngest
audience, it's an imaginative, suspense-filled and hilarious tale of
dinnertime high jinks … For an older audience who may recognize (or
be introduced to) its inspiration—the classic short story, “The
Beating of the Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe—there's the
chance to enjoy this clever takeoff that shows guilt and consequences
in such a witty way … the alluring language will delight: “The
beets slipped into the hole with a splosh … The soup spattered and
the squash squished.” The story is rich in repetition, alliteration
and onomatopoeia punctuated by the rising rhythm of the offending
foods, “the beating of the beets!” This is a picture book for
everyone. Highly recommended.” –
CM: Canadian Review of Materials, September 2009
“... will
appeal to anyone who has struggled to finish his or her vegetables …
humourous illustrations add to the story … a good book for starting
conversations about right and wrong and listening to one's
conscience.” –
Resource Links, Oct. 2009
“Rompella
has created an amusing variation of a well-known tale … teachers
might pair it with the original story or [other] interpretations to
talk about parody. Some students may even be inspired to offer their
own interpretations of one of Poe's classics.” –
Center
for Children's and Young Adult Books “Book Notes,” Nov.
2009
