Jim at the Corner

Gr 2–5—First published in 1934, this reissue features eight tall tales of ocean adventure, neatly framed as conversations between a boy named Derry and Jim, the former first mate of the good ship Rocking Horse. Jim's stories are delightfully far-fetched, with whimsical surprises to keep readers guessing. All are prompted by his interactions with young Derry, who meets Jim on the corner as often as he can. When Derry talks about a recent snowfall, Jim launches into a humorous narrative about an amorous and loyal penguin he met at the South Pole. After the boy gets a new kitten, Jim shares his underwater adventure with the Queen of the Catfish. The introductions are casual and straightforward and smoothly transition to Jim's more folksy storyteller's voice for the fanciful exploits at sea. Derry and Jim's fondness for each other is evident, making the final chapter, in which Derry and his family bring Jim to the seaside for his birthday, especially satisfying. Ardizzone's black-and-white drawings are a perfect match for the text. A scene of Derry and Jim on the street opens each chapter, and further renderings depict the action that Jim narrates. There's an appropriately old-fashioned feel to this collection, but the individual entries and the book as a whole hold up quite well.