Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa Book and Tape (Tell Me a Story)

From Publishers Weekly Articulating the affection of a multitude of fans--"Dr. Bernard De Soto was such a one-in-a-million, humdinger of a dentist that the whole world knew about him"--Steig reintroduces the debonair mouse-dentist and his beloved wife/assistant, Deborah. The dental dilemma of an elephant named Mudambo lead the duo on a pain relief mission to West Africa. No sooner are they ashore than Dr. De Soto is kidnapped by "a certain rhesus monkey, Honkitonk by name," sworn enemy of Mudambo--who considers his foe "an ill-bred pachyderm with a preposterous schnozzola." It's all here: the exuberant, Steigian phrases that somersault off the tongue, the nimble humor, the unflinching drama. Unfortunately, the rather complex plot doesn't utilize the dentist's by-now-legendary cunning for its resolution; it does, however, showcase the equally skilled, ever-faithful Deborah. Creatures of every stripe and feather populate this unique African jungle, evoking images and characters from previous works. Yet the vibrant, colorful illustrations exude a freshness and pizzazz that will leave readers wondering where the next world-class toothache will strike. Ages 3-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2 --A telegram from an elephant desperately in need of dental attention is the impetus for Dr. and Mrs. De Soto's journey to Africa. But not all is smooth sailing for the couple, as a rhesus monkey bears a grudge against the elephant for a previous insult, and kidnaps the diminutive dentist as revenge. There are some situations here that are ripe for Steig's standard brand of humor, but the text is missing his inventive, playful language and his subtle word choices. It's a bland telling, with some of the lines more like captions than integrated storytelling. The illustrations are deftly drawn and nicely composed, with the agonized patient stealing the show. Steig takes full advantage of the size disparity between the grandiose elephants and their furnishings and the miniscule mice, and gets in some amusing touches. However, the colors seem too pale and drab for the steamy, sunny climate, and the adventure is too mild to warrant repeated readings.