Did you see the Shrek movie and love it? Or hear about all about it from your friends and want to know more?

Kidsreads is here with the books the Shrek movie was based on, as well as an introduction to the marvelous world of award winning author and illustrator William Steig. All of the following books are reading skills appropriate for ages 8 to 12, but they could also be read aloud to younger kids as well.

First up there is the official book of the movie:

SHREK
by Ellen Weiss
Dreamworks
ISBN: 0141312491
144 pages

So who is this green Shrek guy?

Once upon a time, a cranky ogre named Shrek lived in a tree trunk in the middle of a rather stinky swamp. He liked his privacy, his bug dinners and gross things like ear wax. Shrek would have been happy to stay there forever, alone and grumbling, but his life was changed when a posse of fairytale characters invaded his home. Suddenly, there were blind mice in his food and little pigs sitting on his bed. The characters had been evicted from their homes by the evil Lord Farquaad!

Shrek wants to get his solitude back --- and he also secretly likes the characters and wants to help them. So a deal is made with Lord Farquaad: if the fairy tale characters are allowed to return to their homes, Shrek will rescue Princess Fiona (Lord Farquaad's dream girl) from a deadly fire breathing dragon. Lord Farquaad wants to marry the pretty princess, but is too lazy and cowardly to do the rescuing mission himself.

Shrek sets off for adventure with Donkey. Donkey is, well, a donkey and Shrek's loyal best friend. The only problem is, Donkey drives Shrek crazy with all his singing and dancing and nonstop talking. Rescuing the princess is an impossible task, but what is even worse is the deep, dark secret she's hiding. What will happen to Shrek, Princess Fiona and the homeless characters? Read this fun, picture filled book to find out.

Next, the book whose ugly but loving main character inspired the movie:

SHREK!: E
by William Steig
Sunburst
ISBN: 0374466238
32 pages

Shrek is a crazy looking green ogre who spits flames and vents smoke. He is even uglier than his parents, who send him off in the world to find his own life. A witch prophesies that Shrek will find his true love at the end of a long journey --- after she recovers from the sight of him, that is. Shrek sets off and finds helpers and dangers along the way: a dragon, a donkey, and more. He never worries about being ugly, though; he always knows that inside he is a great guy. Finally he finds the castle and boy what a surprise he has when he sees his true love...but I won't spoil it!

Can't get enough of the green guy? Here are some fun Shrek books:

SHREK GAG BOOK
by Dr. R.E. Volting
Dreamworks
ISBN: 0141312610
64 pages

All kinds of gross out pranks, puzzles and puns are at your fingertips thanks to one ugly (but fart loving) ogre and his friends.

SHREK SCRATCH AND STINK STORYBOOK
by Justin Heimberg 
illustrated by Name
Dreamworks
ISBN: 0525466878
64 pages

I personally have no desire to know what a swamp, a donkey or an ogre smells like...but if you like to gross yourself out, this is the book for you! It also tells the story of the movie and has many cool pictures.

William Steig, the author of the original SHREK: E  has written many more funny and adventurous books for kids. Here are a few to get you started:


THE REAL THIEF
by William Steig
Farrar Straus & Giroux (Juv)
ISBN: 0374462089

Gawain the goose is proud, trustworthy and loyal. He has to be --- his job is Chief Guard of the new Royal Treasury. The king, a rough and tough bear named Basil, is Gawain's greatest friend and has total faith in him.

Or does he?

One otherwise normal day, 39 rubies are stolen from the vault. The next day some coins are gone, then some other jewels and then suddenly the world famous Kalikak diamond disappears. Only King Basil and Gawain have keys to the vault and Gawain patrols it all day long. All clues point to the goose, but he didn't do it. Unfortunately, all the people at court, including the rude and jealous cat Prime Minister Adrian, want to get rid of Gawain. They persuade King Basil to put him in jail. What happens next to the poor goose teaches all of the kingdom about loyalty, truth and friendship, while unmasking THE REAL THIEF of the title.

DOMINIC
by William Steig
Farrar Straus & Giroux (Juv)
ISBN: 0374418268

DOMINIC is a book about an amazing dog and his travels. Courageous, gentle and loving, Dominic the dog decides one day to seek adventure. He packs his bags and leaves his house, burying the key in the front yard. In his bags, Dominic has all he needs including his many useful hats (like the Royal Fusiliers hat which protects him) and his piccolo which he composes songs for and plays energetically. As he travels, Dominic gathers friends --- he is always stopping to help other animals out of messes. Bartholomew the pig, Elijah the donkey, Manfred the mouse and many others share their stories and their lives with Dominic. In return, they pledge loyalty to him. And he will need it, for Dominic's goodness has made him a target for some bad animals. These are members of the Doomsday Gang, a notorious group of robbers and they are out to get Dominic. Dominic's journey is a very exciting one as he dodges bad guys and eventual finds where in the world he is meant to be.

ABEL'S ISLAND
by William Steig
Farrar Straus & Giroux (Juv)
ISBN: 0374400164
117 pages

Meet Abelard Hassam di Chirico Flint, otherwise known as Abel. He is a mouse living in England in 1907. Abel is quite fancy and well off; he is used to living luxuriously. One August afternoon, he and his wife Amanda are out on a picnic in a big wooded park. A huge thunderstorm blows in, so the couple takes shelter in a nearby cave with many other animals. As the cave is very crowded, Abel and his wife must stand near the doorway. A big wind whips up and blows Amanda's scarf away. Eager to please his wife, Abel rushes out into the storm after the scarf. But --- Oh No! --- he is swept away by flooding waters, down a waterfall until he finds himself in a swiftly moving river that deposits him on an island far from home. Abel is devastated --- not only must he live without nice clothes and servants, he misses his wife Amanda terribly. Abel learns to survive, foraging for food and building himself a house out of a log. Abel also constructs all sorts of contraptions to get off the island and back to his home, like boats, rafts, and bridges. He must also fend off predators like a huge owl and a tormenting cat. Abel never stops dreaming about his wife and her love; he even makes statues of her and their family so he can pretend they are with him. To find out what happens to this plucky mouse, you'll have to read the engrossing ABEL'S ISLAND.

Want to know more about the author himself?

William Steig was born in Brooklyn on November 14, 1907. His father was an Austrian immigrant house painter, who had a love for the fine arts, as did his mother. Steig was inspired by his creative family --- he was given his first lessons by his older brother, Irwin, a professional artist. As a young man, Steig found an outlet for his talent by creating cartoons for the high school newspaper. After high school graduation, Steig spent two years at City College, three years at the National Academy, and five days at the Yale School of Fine Arts before dropping out.

Steig's father went broke during the Depression and, as his older brothers were married and his younger brother only seventeen, Steig had to support the family. The only thing he could do well (and enjoy) was drawing. Steig began selling his pictures and cartoons around New York City, eventually becoming one of the main cartoonists for the magazine The New Yorker. He was not content with just being a cartoonist though; he also became famous for carving wood figurines, working in advertising and creating the idea of the contemporary greeting card. Writing children's books was never Steig's idea; instead he was asked to write one by a fellow cartoonist at The New Yorker. The result was Steig's letter-puzzle book entitled C D B!, published in 1968.    

Steig is now in semi-retirement, although his books continue to be bestsellers and win many awards. He has passed his father's ideas about art and work on to his own children by encouraging them never to take nine-to-five jobs: his son Jeremy is a jazz flautist, daughter Lucy a painter, and Maggie an actress.  

   --- by Addelaide Hayes

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