Too Much Noise
Ann McGovern
illustrated by Simms Taback 1992
A familiar but fun folktale of learning to appreciate your situation in a new light. Taback's illustrations of a grumpy old man who is bothered by "too much noise" still make me chuckle.
For my friends who kept asking me for a children's book list...
This is a unique version of the fairy tale Snow White told in graphic novel form. It's set in the 1920's and features the familiar titular character, her loving father (here a millionaire) and the vain stepmother (as a gold digging Zeigfield star). The seven dwarfs are portrayed as a band of protective raggamuffin orphan boys and the "magic mirror" is cleverly replaced by a sinister stock ticker tape machine. It's nice to have variety in retelling these old stories.