The Grudge Keeper

by Mara Rockliff and Eliza Wheeler

In the town of Bonnyripple, no one keeps a grudge except Cornelius, the man whose... read more

In the town of Bonnyripple, no one keeps a grudge except Cornelius, the man whose job it is to do just that. “Ruffled feathers, petty snits, minor tiffs and major huffs, insults, umbrage, squabbles, dust-ups, and imbroglios — the Grudge Keeper received them all, large and small, tucking each one carefully away in his ramshackle cottage.” But when a fierce wind blows, all the slips of papers bearing grudges get mixed up. Worse than that, they pile up, burying Cornelius beneath them. The townspeople are again at odds with one another with all those grudges set loose, but soon grudges old and new are forgotten in the effort to free Cornelius. Mara Rockliff’s fresh and spirited original tale is a wonderfully paced, language-rich narrative. Eliza Wheeler’s watercolor and ink illustrations reflect the folkloric feel of the story, offering an old-fashioned European sensibility to the characters’ dress and the setting while showing a cast of characters that is racially diverse. The playful lines and charming details of Wheeler’s art perfectly echo Rockliff’s sense of whimsy. (Ages 5–9)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2015

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