Judy Varga

Mrs. Morelli longs for excitement and adventure in this early-reader from the talented author/illustrator Judy Varga. Her husband is the Great Morelli, shooting out of his cannon and diving into a pool of water ever night, and twice on Saturdays. Her son Alberto rides a motorcycle on a tightrope strung across a pit of tigers, and her daughter Lola is a magician's assistant, sawn in half every night (and twice of Saturdays). But although Mrs. Morelli tries lots of different circus jobs, nothing fulfills her wish for thrills. Then one day her husband's assistant quits, and she gets her chance...

The fifth book I have read from Judy Varga, following upon such charming titles as Once-A-Year Witch and Miss Lollipop's Lion, Circus Cannonball is a fun little romp, with an engaging story and charming, brightly-colored artwork. There are aspects of it that feel very dated, from the circus itself to the fact that Mrs. Morelli is told by her husband that her place is in the home. On the other hand, the conclusion of the story certainly shows that Mrs. Morelli was in the right, and her husband in the wrong, something he acknowledges when he shares the spotlight with her in the ring. Recommended to more advanced beginning readers and to fans of Varga's artwork.… (meer)

Hoping to escape their troubles, Mr. and Mrs. Kettledrum, a couple whose music school in the city is on the brink of failure, head to the beach for a vacation. Once there they take in an orphaned seal, nursing him back to health and releasing him again in the sea. The trouble is, Sam the seal doesn't want to leave the Kettledrums, who eventually decide to keep him, teaching him to play trumpet. When the trio return to the city, Sam's unusual talent helps to save his adoptive human parents' school...

Published in 1965, The Sociable Seal is the fourth picture-book I have read from author/illustrator Judy Varga, following upon such titles as Miss Lollipop's Lion and Once-A-Year Witch. I'm not sure, all told, that I enjoyed it as much as some of her others, as I was mostly indifferent to the story. The artwork, on the other hand, is quite delightful, with the same alternation between two-page black-and-white spreads, and spreads with two-tone color illustrations. Mr. and Mrs. Kettledrum look like they could be Latino, although I might be reading too much into the illustrations, based on the artist's last name. In any case, this is one I would recommend primarily to fans of Varga's charming artwork.… (meer)

A lazy Hungarian farmer by the name of Janko lets his house and property go to rack and ruin in this original fairy-tale from author/illustrator Judy Varga. Meeting an old Gypsy woman in the woods one day, he helps her to get her caravan out of the mud in return for a wish. Thinking to wish for a sack of gold, he realizes he has nowhere to hide such wealth, and in the process of fixing this, he changes his ways and revives his farm. In the end, Janko wishes for a bride, and finds himself a very happy man...

The third picture-book I have read from Varga, following upon her marvelous Once-A-Year Witch and Miss Lollipop's Lion, Janko's Wish pairs an engaging folktale-style narrative with delightful illustrations. The artwork alternates between two-tone black and gold illustrations, and more colorful ones also featuring red and green, and is very appealing. I usually wince a bit at the inclusion of the stereotypically 'magic' Gypsy (Romany) Queen in children's stories, but although Varga does include this tired theme, she subverts it at the end, as the narrator declares that "possibly the old crone was the queen of the Gypsies, but of magical powers she had none at all." Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy folk and fairy-tales, and anyone seeking children's stories about the value of hard work.… (meer)

Miss Lola Lollipop had a soft spot for homeless animals, and could never turn them away. She had fourteen cats, nine dogs, three rabbits, seven canaries, four parakeets, two guinea pigs, five hamsters, and a donkey in the back yard. She also had a problem: no food to give them, and no money to buy more! As she was pondering this reality, a lion came knocking on her door, and Miss Lollipop naturally took him in. At first it seemed that this would only compound the problem, but Miss Lollipo's lion turned out to be the answer to all her worries...

Having recently enjoyed author/illustrator Judy Varga's Once-A-Year Witch, I went looking for more of her books, and discovered Miss Lollipop's Lion, which is an absolute delight! The story is heartwarming, and full of a gentle sense of humor - Miss Lollipop's strict, no-nonsense attitude when the lion balks at a bath, or roars! - that was very appealing. The artwork is just charming, alternating between two-page spreads with black-and-white ink drawings, and spreads with more colorful, three-tone artwork. I didn't care for the inclusion of the circus, and Miss Lollipop's eventual job as a lion tamer, but it was depicted in a sweet (albeit unrealistic) way, leading me to accept it as part of the story (and a sign of the times). With the caveat that they be aware of the inclusion of the circus theme, this is one I'd recommend to all young animal lovers, and anyone who appreciated vintage picture-book art.… (meer)