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from: HarperCollins
Amazon.com's Price: $8.99 Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Paperback
EAN: 9780062059277
ISBN: 0062059270
Label: HarperCollins
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 32
Publication Date: January 31, 1998
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Release Date: December 18, 1997
Sales Rank: 300090
Studio: HarperCollins
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
'Good pictures come along fairly often, but an original, remarkable book that takes you by surprise is rare. Rejoice over William Steig's latest, in which he spoofs medieval life and takes a crack at bullying older brothers and alchemy as he tells his rattling good story.
-- The Philadelphia Inquirer
'A riveting tale of sibling rivalry set in medieval times, which is, at the same time, as modern as all get-out.'
-- Newsday
'Readers will delight in Steig's droll expressions, both visual and verbal, but the subtle lesson about brotherly love will not be lost amid teh comic goings-on.'
-- School Library Journal
Amazon.com Review:
William Steig, the creator of 26 children's books, including Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and The Amazing Bone, has struck again with an entertaining and informative book. Both the writer and illustrator, Steig spins a yarn that focuses on two brothers. The older boy, Yorick, is told one day by his alchemist father not to venture into the laboratory. Yorick, of course, does just that as soon as his father leaves and mixes a potion that transforms him into a toy-sized boy. His brother, Charles, is thereby transformed into the larger of the two, forcing the siblings to deal with role reversal, brotherhood, disobedience, and a host of other matters.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Not amusing for the target audience
The story background here should provide an imaginative tale...a medieval family, alchemy, and a shrinking brother. But the actual story line won't amuse children from the age of 4 - 8. The problem with the book is a somewhat mean-spirited story and it's rather dull unfolding. Some other reviewers on this page were amused and even flattered by Steig's 'respect' for his audience's intellectual curiosity insofar as he uses an advanced vocabulary in the story. Permit me to ask you. Would the early ... Read More
Rating:  - Steig goes medieval!
William Steig's "The Toy Brother" takes us back to medieval England, where brothers Charles and Yorick spend their time in the time-honored way of figuring out ways to annoy each other (some things never change). When one of them gets into their father's magic potions, all heck breaks loose and there are problems a-plenty--compounded by the fact that their parents are away for several days at a family wedding.
The brothers come to an understanding on their own--a nice touch--not with the help ... Read More
Rating: - Enchantingly real
William Steig joined here the delightful tone of his earlier children's books to the inventiveness found in his New Yorker cartoons.
Yorick, the older of these two medieval boys, had notions of surpassing his father at alchemy, and hoped someday to turn donkey's dung into gold. Charles on the other hand preferred chasing chickens, poking in anthills and arguing with the family goat.
Naturally, when their parents traveled to a distant wedding, Yorick got into some solution. "Yes goosewit," ... Read More
Rating: - A Wonderful Sibling Story
How many of us had older siblings that ignored us and thought we were pests? And how many of us had younger siblings that were pests? This is a great story of two brothers in this situation. But in the end find mutual respect for each other. William Steig's fairy tale magic leaves children wanting this story read over and over again.
Rating: - Love and Magic
William Steig works his magic again in this tale of twoalchemist's sons. The older brother, Yorick, has no use for theyounger son, Charles. But when Mom and Dad are gone for a week, Yorick learns how it feels to be the smaller brother, via a forbidden trip to his father's lab.
Now Charles is the bigger kid, but in a loveable and believable way, chooses to help his toy brother, for always, if need be. Dad finally manages to undo the magic, but we know the caring between the brothers will go on forever.
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