- Hardcover: 48 pages
- Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books; 1 edition (Sep 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0689842791
- ISBN-13: 978-0689842795
- Product Dimensions: 26 x 23.6 x 1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 726 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Sophia's artistic master is good at some things he draws intriguing interpretations of his dreams, for instance, and he can "stir two bad smells together and make a third completely different smell" but as the king's alchemist, he's a flop. And with the king's visit pending, the poor fellow has been neglecting his pet as he tries desperately to find the formula to turn lead into gold. Sophia, who is as smart as she is loyal, eventually takes matters into her own paws and sets up a laboratory of her own under the table. Her efforts are successful, but the real surprise in this tale is what the king spots as treasure; suffice it to say that the alchemist's job is changed to "painter to the king." Jackson's (The Old Woman and the Wave) tale is somewhat scattered. For example, subplots featuring an imp and an angel may be inspired by late-medieval work but feel tangential. On the other hand, the writing is descriptive ("a finger-joint of candle"). The busy spreads incorporate acrylic paintings, rendered in a palette of terra-cottas and ochers spiked with blues and greens, sepia-like vignettes, and atmospheric, detailed sketches "by" the alchemist. As in the text, there's often too much to take in. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 1-3. In this splendidly spun fairy tale, the king's alchemist is in big trouble, and his doting dachshund Sophia is worried. Although her talented master is capable of producing many interesting things in his workshop--bad smells, for example--he simply cannot make gold from lead. When the king decides to pay the alchemist a visit, both dog and man panic. Feverish dreams haunt the would-be alchemist, who each morning sketches and paints his tormented visions and tries to analyze the "handwriting of the universe" in search of recipes for gold. Alas, he does not discover the precious formula in time for the royal visitation. But the king is delighted with the alchemist's visionary artwork, and he dubs the artist "painter of the king." Sophia does not have to reveal the gold she has made as a backup. Jackson's artwork shines in this eye-catching picture book that features a delightfully original blend of expressive acrylic paintings, pen-and-ink drawings, and Leonardo da Vinci-style sketches and scribbles. Text and art: lively and lovely. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Sophia's master was alchemist to the king, and Sophia thought he was marvelous. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Sophia's master was alchemist to the king, and Sophia thought he was marvelous. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction,
By
This review is from: Sophia, the Alchemist's Dog (Hardcover)
Sophia the dog belongs to the king's alchemist. The alchemist has the task of changing lead into gold. He gets so focused on the task that he begins to neglect Sophia. She is so worried about him that she takes things into her own paws. Fortunately for the alchemist, the king turns out to be a very reasonable man. The book is informative and not at all scary. The story is rather long, however, with about 1300 words, so it may be more interesting for older kids.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews) 6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
required reading,
By Christopher Locke - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Sophia, the Alchemist's Dog (Hardcover)
This delightful book is required reading for all training analysts at The C.G. Jung Institute at Zürich and Küsnacht. Don't be deceived into thinking this is a simple "children's book" -- it subtly encodes the Gnostic Gospel of Magdalene, cleverly interwoven with the 13 dreams reported by Wolfgang Pauli that led Jung to his theory of synchronicity. Highly recommended, especially for intuitive ectomorphs in advanced postdoctoral programs.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction,
By Erika Mitchell - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Sophia, the Alchemist's Dog (Hardcover)
Sophia the dog belongs to the king's alchemist. The alchemist has the task of changing lead into gold. He gets so focused on the task that he begins to neglect Sophia. She is so worried about him that she takes things into her own paws. Fortunately for the alchemist, the king turns out to be a very reasonable man. The book is informative and not at all scary. The story is rather long, however, with about 1300 words, so it may be more interesting for older kids.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Satisfied Customer,
By Karen L. Knopf - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sophia, the Alchemist's Dog (Hardcover)
Received book on time. Description provided by seller was accurate. I would buy from this seller again.
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