It's a beautiful, sunny Easter Sunday in Sweden. The farmer and his family are having breakfast before going to church and the farmworkers are going about their daily chores. But Goran the bull is angry. He breaks loose from his stall, and charges down the barn and out into the yard. People gather from miles around to see the raging bull. But who will dare to cross Goran's path? Will he stay angry forever? Karl, a seven-year-old farm boy, has a plan. But can a very small boy tame a very big bull?A delightful story by acclaimed author Astrid Lindgren. The exquisitely detailed illustrations of wooden houses, farming families in their Sunday best and groves of white birch trees give a vivid sense of springtime on a Swedish farm of long ago.
'Children will delight in the story of how one Easter Day, Goran the bull broke free in an angry rampage only to be tamed by Karl, a seven-year-old boy.' -- Creative Steps, Spring 2011. 'A low key story, in contrast to the lively style of many current picture books, Goran's Great Escape invites the reader in ('Let's find out what happened') and asks to be shared by child and adult... The watercolour illustrations have a cool Nordic feel, capturing a time and place that is past but not dated. The landscape format of the pages is well-used with events strung over double-page spreads in some instances and in others vignettes on the verso point to what is happening in a larger illustration on the recto. Delightful.' -- Valerie Coghlan, Books for Keeps, March 2011 'The delightful illustrations make you feel as if you were actually there!' -- Tammy Dolling, March 2011 'Illustrations, in translucent water based paints in earthly hues, are masterly. 'The design of the layout, with the necessity to integrate a long text with the images, is exemplary.' -- Jane Doonan, School Librarian 'Lindgren's affection for Karl warms the tale of his heroism.' -- Kirkus Review 'The charm and success of this traditional tale lie in Lindgren's masterful storytelling. Tornqvist's delicate, expressive watercolors accentuate the personalities of the farm folk and add suspense to Goran's plight. The artist's clever use of the endpapers to show a line of villagers looking apprehensively toward the story beckons readers just as effectively as Lindgren's words. The message that simple kindness is often an act of extraordinary bravery makes this a must for most collections.' --School Library Journal Reviews, January 2012
