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About Godiva
Product Description With only her long hair as a cloak, Lady Godiva takes her heroic ride through the English village of Coventry in exchange for her husband's promise to lower the people's taxes. From Publishers Weekly When the cobbler's daughter marries the wealthy Lord Leofric, she soon sees that his greed is forcing the villagers into poverty. Says he, "The day I lower taxes is the day you ride naked through the streets of Coventry." Lynn Cullen's picture-book retelling of Godiva boils the tale down to its essence, while Kathryn Hewitt's realistic oils cast a golden glow on the benevolent Lady and the commoners whom she champions. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Gr 1-3-This retelling of the story of Lady Godiva unfolds initially like the original tale with the prince being a selfish and unfeeling ruler. He marries Godiva, a kind and selfless cobbler's daughter who is more concerned with the lives of the villagers than her own comfort. She asks her husband to lower the taxes so the villagers can have enough to buy proper food and clothing, and he jokingly tells her that the day this happens she will ride naked through the streets of Coventry. She accepts the challenge. Out of respect, the townspeople stay inside and close their shutters. Only one person looks out and he turns out to be the blind son of the tailor. In the original tale, the man looking out is blinded when he gazes upon the naked young woman. Her husband lowers the taxes and learns that kindness is more treasured than gold. The oil paintings are large, bold, and colorful. The facial expressions of the sullen prince are especially telling. It is not until the last page that a smile appears on his face. This is an excellent book for youngsters who may be unfamiliar with this tale. A concluding author's note puts the tale into historical perspective. Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. The thousand-year-old legend of Godiva has its basis in fact. Here, the dramatic story is told directly and without fuss. Self-centered Lord Leofric goes in search of a wife and is astonished when he falls in love with Godiva, the golden-haired daughter of a cobbler. They marry, and while Leofric devotes himself to expanding the castle, Godiva spends time in Coventry village, gathering honeycomb with the townfolk. When Godiva wonders why the villagers are so worn and threadbare, she learns her husband's harsh taxes are the reason. She confronts him, and he says he will lower taxes when she rides naked through town. So she does, cloaked in her golden tresses, and no one looks except one blind boy. Leofric learns about kindness, and their child is raised amid the villagers who love his mother. Hewitt uses a rich Renaissance palette, with figures fully occupying their space, and he astutely draws the critical scene with Godiva's nakedness barely indicated beneath the swirls of her hair. This tender retelling is expanded by the handsome art. GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
