The Sweetest Fig

by Chris Van Allsburg

Hardcover, 1993

Status

Check shelf

Call number

E Va

Publication

HMH Books for Young Readers (1993), Edition: Library Binding, Hardcover, 32 pages

Description

After being given two magical figs that make his dreams come true, Monsieur Bibot sees his plans for future wealth upset by his long-suffering dog.

Local notes

1408-247

User reviews

LibraryThing member Treeseed
This is great stuff...typical Chris Van Allsburg, filled with wonderful illustrations, sometimes surreal imagery, lots of subtle humour and something important for us to think about. The story shows what happens when one thoughtless, self-involved dentist experiences the "what goes around, comes
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around" syndrome. The last page causes that pleasurable sensation of the mental pause in the dark before the light-bulb pops on.
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LibraryThing member cvyork
great book, gripping plot from the moment that the book is opened!
LibraryThing member Hennigar
A greedy dentist is given 2 magical figs that will make his dreams come true as payment for dental work. The dentist has the dream of becoming the richest man in the world, but his dog has other plans.

This was a humorous book that was easy to follow and kept me interested. I knew something was
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going to spoil the dentists’ dreams and was very surprised at the ending.

As a teacher I couldn’t think of a certain curriculum to tie this book to; however I do feel it would be a good book to read aloud to the class for fun. It may spark students’ imaginations and get them ready for an art or creative writing lesson.
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LibraryThing member mblaze
Bibot received special figs that make all your dreams come true, from one of his patients. Unfortunately, Bibot wasted the first fig, and his dog ate the second, making all of his (the dog's) dreams come true. The illustrations in this story are spectacular, and the ending leaves a lot of room for
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the reader's imagination to extend the story. This picture book could be used to teach elements of a story, as well as a starting point for a writing activity in an English class.
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LibraryThing member akamarian
The Sweetest Fig is a story about a mean, selfish man being taught a lesson in how he should have treated others. The story is simple and straightforward, but the message is powerful and the irony is sharp. Van Allsburg’s illustrations are charming and strongly reinforce his words. High school
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students will enjoy this picture book because of the clever illustrations and the satisfying irony of the dentist being taught a lesson. They’ll appreciate that the moral of the story isn’t spelled out but they can recognize the irony in the ending.
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LibraryThing member ccondra
Could teacher students about the concept of Irony in the story. Also you ask them to write a story on their own magic fruit and what they would want to happen.
LibraryThing member blcrump
This very imaginative story is about a Frenchman who is extremely absorbed in his own existence. After being tremendously rude to a woman, she gives him two magic figs which she says will make all his dreams come true. After eating one, he wakes up to realize that all the dreams he had had the
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night before actually were coming true. He then spends several days trying to force himself to dream that he is the richest man in the world. The night finally comes when he will eat the last fig, but before he can get to it, his dog, Marcel, eats it. The dog's dreams then come true, and Marcel becomes the human while his owner is stuck wearing a collar and leash. This story, while very creative and imaginative, would probably be better suited for older students due to the many French words and meanings. It would, however, be a good tool to use when studying other countries. It has wonderful illustrations that really make the story seem to come to life.
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LibraryThing member raspringrose
This book is about a man who is a dentist. He treats a woman and for payment she gives him 2 figs. These figs makes your dreams come true. He did not believe her until one night his dream did come true. He decided not to waste the other one. He decided after he took his dog for a walk that tonight
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was the night. However his dog ate the fig before he got a chance. You see he was mean to his dog, and his dog dreamed they switched roles. I liked this book because it teaches you to be careful of the way you treat things.
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LibraryThing member wendyfincher
This book is about a dentist who is so caught up in his own life that he doesn't quit think of others. He helps a lady who is in pain by pulling her tooth but when she doesn't have any money and wants to give him 2 figs for payment he is very rude to her and refuses to give her any pain medicine.
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The lady even told him that the figs could make all of his dreams come true. He ate one of the figs that night and dreamed about walking out in public in his underwear. He was shocked when he realized that his dream actually came true. So for the next few days, he forces his self to dream about being the richest man on earth. However, when he tries to eat the last fig, he sets it down on the counter and his little dog eats it instead. The next morning the dentist finds that he is now the house pet dog.
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LibraryThing member stgayde
One day a selfish dentist treats a woman with a terrible toothache. When it came time to pay, she had no money to give, but instead gave him two figs as payment. She told him that these figs would make all his dreams come true. Being a very serious man, he didn't believe a word of it and refused to
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give her any medicine. Soon after he realized that perhaps she was telling the truth for he had a dream in which he was wearing his underwear in public. Low and behold, the next day he is wearing his underwear in public. After this he decides he will use his final fig wisely. He focuses incredibly hard on dreaming about becoming the richest man in all the world. He thought about it and focused on it and just when it was time to actually go to sleep and dream about it, his dog found the fig and ate it. The next day the dentist wake up to find that he is in fact the dog and the dog is now the dentist. The story leaves you thinking.
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LibraryThing member alliecipa
This is a great example of a fantasy story! It is about a self-centered dentist who treats a woman who doesn't have any money to pay so she gives him two figs. She says these figs are magical and will make his dreams come true, which he does not believe. He eats one before bed and finds out that it
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does make his dream come true! He comes up with a plan to force himself to dream he is the richest man alive, but his plan is changed when his dog eats the fig instead!
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LibraryThing member Dportnoy
This is a great book to use in an upper Elementary fantasy unit for Language Arts! Because a young woman does not have money to pay the dentist, she pays him in "magic figs". The book leaves the reader to fill in the blanks and most definitely at the end! The drawings are also a major plus in this
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Chris Van Allsburg text!
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LibraryThing member cakebaker
A mean, selfish dentist receives two figs that supposedly make dreams come true. When the first one works, he trains himself to dream that he is rich. On the night he plans to eat the fig, his dog takes it first. Now, the dog's dreams will come true. A bizarre story that deals with magic and
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hypnotism.
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LibraryThing member KFBruck
This is a great book that can be used during the exploration of fantasy stories. It is about an egotistical dentist who doesn’t treat people or his dog very well. One day an older woman, who doesn't have any money, pays the dentist by giving him two figs. She explains that the figs are magical,
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but the dentist doesn’t believe her. One night he decides to eat one of the figs in which his dreams really do come true. He is so shocked, but excited because he wants to eat the second fig making sure that he dreams about being the richest man alive. To his dismay he finds that his dog has eaten the fig instead, and it is the dog’s dream that comes true.
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LibraryThing member kewpie
I LOVE Chris Van Allsburg. His illustrations and stories are some of the most surreal I've experienced. His books always make me think. He creates a little bubble of a world that invites everyone to crawl inside and look around.

* Favorite scene in the book : Bibot, standing in his underwear and
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watching the Eiffel tower turn to rubber and fall over.
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LibraryThing member etwinney
This is a great book to use as a mentor text for a fantasy genre study! The pictures are great and the story (a man gets figs with some magical powers) will get kids excited about the fantasy genre.
LibraryThing member mdemock
This book works as an excellent read aloud text and/or an accompaniment to a fantasy genre unit. The story is about a not-so-friendly dentist who is given magic figs from a patient. Chris Van Allsburg's illustrations make an excellent contribution to this text, showing how reality can be made into
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fantasy
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LibraryThing member MarissaFay
I chose to read this book because I love Van Allsburgs's illustrations, and I ended up really liking it. It is a fairly short story, but it has a great message, and encourages the reader to treat others as they would like to be treated!
LibraryThing member kwigginspost
This book has a great story and twist at the end.
LibraryThing member kelleyhar
I didn't care for this book. The man was mean to his dog.
LibraryThing member sreinh2
The Sweetest Fig is a mysterious children's book by Van Allsburg. This is a brilliant book about a picky man named Monsieur Bibot who receives two magical figs from an old woman. I really liked the story told in this book and the ending was surprising.

The illustrations are also amazing, as well as
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all of Van Allsburg's books. The pictures go with the story perfectly and they add to the mystery of the story. The images are beautiful and haunting at the same time. There is not much color in the book, but this adds to the imagery.

This is a fantastic story about being careful what you wish for and to not mistreat people or others. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, no matter if they are fans of Van Allsburg or not.
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LibraryThing member ghelmus
This is a cleverly random story. It starts out with a dentist, void of sympathy, who receives special figs from a customer. He realizes the figs make dreams come true, so he tries to force himself to dream about being the richest man in the world. Although the story is short, Van Allsburg manages
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to pack a lot of lessons and humor into the book. The images bring his dreams to life, and readers will be pleased when those he has harmed (i.e., his dog, particularly) get their revenge. The author uses dialogue perfectly in the final page to close the story and let readers know that it is now the dog whose dreams have come true.
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LibraryThing member Jpeshke
"The Sweetest Fig" is a wonderful read aloud and mentor text for a fantasy genre unit. Van Allsburg does an amazing job of creating a world of fantasy.
LibraryThing member matthewbloome
I hate to be small and judgemental about this, but Bibot kind of got what he had coming, and I was a little happy with the result. This is kind a dog lover's dream. An abusive pet owner becomes the pet. I wonder what the pet will do. Abuse his old owner? Treat him well and be the bigger man, so to
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speak? Give him away and start fresh? Tough decision for the former dog.
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LibraryThing member DakotahEpple
This could be used to teach the concept of irony.

Language

Physical description

32 p.; 11.34 inches

ISBN

0395673461 / 9780395673461

Barcode

34747000071270

Lexile

L
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