CM Magazine: The Fog Spinner

________________ CM . . . . Volume I Number 15 . . . . September 22, 1995

The Fog Spinner
Terry Morrison. Illustrated by Don Hynes.
Gander, Newfoundland: Tantalus Books, 1994. Unpaginated, paper, $5.95.
ISBN 0-9695519-4-0
Grades 1 - 3 / Ages 6 - 8.
Review by Lorraine Douglas

excerpt:

One look at his grandfather told him there was something terribly wrong. "What is it?"

"Do you remember a long time ago I told you a story about an evil spirit called the Fog Spinner that made most of the fish in the ocean disappear. Well, sometimes it makes people disappear. Once they fell asleep, they'd never be seen again."

"Do you think this is the Fog Spinner?"

"I hope not, but if it is, we have to be very careful and make sure we don't go to sleep."

That was easy for him to say. Christopher had never felt so tired before.

Christopher and his grandfather set out on the Atlantic in their little rowboat and soon drift far out into the sea. On the horizon they see the "Fog Spinner" -- a malevolent force that has made all the fish disappear. Grandfather falls asleep and Christopher must ward off the Fog Spinner on his own.

He succeeds and when Grandfather wakes up he discovers that all the fish have returned.

This unexceptional story is unattractively presented. There is no interior title page and instead the first page of the book contains the ISBN and dedication information. The cartoon monochromatic blue illustrations are awkwardly drawn. And all of the Fog Spinner's own dialogue is presented entirely in uppercase characters, which is very annoying to read.

Not recommended.

Lorraine Douglas is Youth Services Coordinator for the Winnipeg Public Library.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - September 22, 1995.