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152 pp.
| NorthSouth
| March, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7358-4339-4$30.00
(3)
K-3
Translated by David Henry Wilson.
In this handsome volume, Swiss artist Fischer's sprightly line-and-wash illustrations accompany well-translated Grimms' tales. "The Musicians of Bremen," "Riff-Raff," and "Puss in Boots" (the Grimm version of the Perrault classic) are fully illustrated; "Rum-Pum-Pum" is a section filled with drawings from several stories; the last six tales each sport a single full-page illustration that highlights the whole story's actions. A short biography of Fischer is appended.
(2)
K-3
Retold by Barbara Rogasky.
Illustrated by
Trina Schart Hyman.
Hyman's iconic art, full of decoration and embellishment, has been "lovingly restored" (through digital means) in this welcome reissue. The hues are crisp and bright, with everything from the emotive facial expressions to the filigreed borders looking rich and vibrant. Some may prefer their careworn editions (and the "dark, brooding romanticism" of the art, as characterized by the original Horn Book review, is now somewhat less so). But this volume should be embraced, especially by those new to this retelling.
32 pp.
| NorthSouth
| November, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7358-4327-1$17.95
(4)
K-3
Watts creates a Hansel and Gretel who truly look touched by hardship, with big eyes and muted clothing against backgrounds saturated with color. Snow White focuses more intently on scenery, using intricate lines to create abundant texture for everything from wildflowers to textiles. The texts of these classic tales is in the spirit of the Grimms' originals; however, some transitions are choppy. Review covers these titles: Hansel and Gretel and Snow White.
32 pp.
| NorthSouth
| November, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-5585-8132-6$17.95
(4)
K-3
Watts creates a Hansel and Gretel who truly look touched by hardship, with big eyes and muted clothing against backgrounds saturated with color. Snow White focuses more intently on scenery, using intricate lines to create abundant texture for everything from wildflowers to textiles. The texts of these classic tales is in the spirit of the Grimms' originals; however, some transitions are choppy. Review covers these titles: Hansel and Gretel and Snow White.
48 pp.
| Minedition
| September, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-9-88834-147-4$29.99
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Sybille Schenker.
In another sumptuous presentation (Little Red Riding Hood), Schenker uses a limited palette of green, black, white, and gold; clear acetate overlays; strongly-lined die-cut designs; and a hand-stitched binding to create a very special volume. Retold in a fuller version than usual, this telling includes the prince's faithful servant, Heinrich, who placed iron bands around his body to keep his heart from breaking when his master was transformed into a frog.
(2)
4-6
Princess Ryn's older brothers are turned into swans by their new stepmother. This retelling of the Grimms' tale "The Six Swans" is fleshed out with a fantasy framework that employs believable catalysts to unpack some of the tale's more mystical plot points, bringing readers into close sympathy with protagonist Ryn. Inventive twists on the original bring vitality to the well-known ending.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
32 pp.
| Peachtree
| October, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-68263-073-0$16.95
(2)
K-3
In Woollvin's (Little Red; Rapunzel) sly and wickedly funny version of the classic folktale, Hansel and Gretel are unapologetic brats, and Willow is a good witch. The siblings make their way to Willow's gingerbread home in the forest and start snacking on its outsides. Willow invites them in, but their disrespectful behavior only intensifies. Minimalist gouache illustrations use a palette of blacks and grays with vivid orange accents.
Reviewer: Julie Danielson
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
417 pp.
| Philomel
| March, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-399-25778-0$17.99
(2)
YA
In this "Hansel and Gretel"–inspired story, two families plan an escape from the Łodz ghetto. The children become separated from their parents, finding themselves first with a band of Partisans in the Łagiewniki Forest and then in the (fictional) Sobanek forced labor camp. Yolen's prose is stark and accessible, with interspersed, lyrical poetry as a reminder that art can be a means of resistance and survival.
20 pp.
| Kane/Miller
| March, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-61067-610-6$11.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Ellie Jenkins.
With two masks included on the fly leafs and instructions to don them when specific characters appear, these books won't work for circulation, but they may be entertaining at home or in a setting where kids can create extra masks. The Australian-import retellings--with slight changes from the original stories (more so in Little Red Riding Hood)--feature droll language and humorous illustrations. Review covers the following titles: Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Little Red Riding Hood.
(3)
K-3
In these sprightly retellings (including some of the old-fashioned phrasings), bright digital illustrations contain humorous modern-day touches (such as Little Red's hoodie and rain boots and Jack's mother's fancy boots at book's end). Little Red resourcefully bests the wolf with weapons gathered in the forest (daisies make him sneeze, etc.); Jack's story is more traditional, but a dragon and a frog prince make appearances. Review covers these titles: Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood.
(3)
4-6
Secrets of the Pied Piper series.
Max and her friends are back on the Summer Isle, searching for her younger brother Carter, who has teamed up with their former enemy, the Piper, to learn magic. Can they unite to defeat the evil Grannie Yaga? Cody treats Carter's mobility impairment with nuance and partially subverts the unfortunate "magical cure" from book two, bringing the trilogy to a pleasing conclusion.
32 pp.
| NorthSouth
| November, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7358-4294-6$17.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Laura Francesca Filippucci.
This traditional portrayal of the Brothers Grimm version of the tale has dense, small-print text that tends to crowd the page. Italian illustrator Filippucci's delicate ink lines and watercolors are precise but airy and rich in color. A balance of detailed full spreads and spot images makes the book enjoyable to explore; better for quiet at-home reading than group sharing.
235 pp.
| North-South
| September, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7358-4281-6$30.00
(3)
4-6
Retold by Felix Hoffmann.
Illustrated by
Felix Hoffmann.
Afterword by Martin Salisbury. Swiss illustrator, printmaker, and artist Hoffmann's retold tales, originally published as seven picture books in Germany from 1949 to 1975, are gathered together in a handsome volume that will encourage appreciation for Hoffmann's many styles and techniques. Originally created for his own children, there are occasional changes from the Grimms' versions of "Rapunzel" and "Hans in Luck," described in the editorial note.
(3)
K-3
Dabble Lab: Sock Puppet Theater series.
After a quick summary of the source material, each book instructs children in making sock puppet characters and props and also provides a script (with a few contemporary touches) for putting on a play of the folktale. Material about staging, voices, and extending the stories into original scripts (reusing the same puppets) adds to the fun. Illustrated with clear color photos. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these Dabble Lab: Sock Puppet Theater titles: Sock Puppet Theater Presents "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and Sock Puppet Theater Presents "Little Red Riding Hood".
216 pp.
| Random
| October, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-553-53818-2$17.99
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-553-53819-9$20.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-553-53820-5
(3)
4-6
When Snow and Rose's father vanishes, they are forced to move to a cottage in the woods, where they encounter strange beings, including a giant bear and a little man. This quiet reimagining of the classic fairy tale "Snow White and Rose Red" has an ethereal tone. The text's undercurrent of enchantment is also present in Martin's periodic full-page color illustrations.
32 pp.
| Peachtree
| October, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-68263-003-7$16.95
(2)
K-3
Woollvin (Little Red) updates another Grimms favorite with a can-do, self-rescuing heroine--there's no prince in sight. Rapunzel resides in a tower, trapped by a witch; not having it, Rapunzel climbs down her own hair, dispatches the witch, and graduates to a life of witch-hunting. The direct, energetic text keeps the pace taut. Bold, graphic gouache illustrations capture modern and traditional elements and offer sly tidbits of humor.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2017
32 pp.
| Minedition
| September, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-988-8341-14-6$12.00 Reissue (1990, Picture Book Studio)
(2)
K-3
Translated by Anthea Bell.
Illustrated by
Lisbeth Zwerger.
This collection of eleven stories about fourteenth-century German trickster Till Eulenspiegel is as fresh as ever; its reissue is especially welcome given the dearth of collected folklore currently published for children. The wandering peasant clown outwits thieves, kings, and scholars: he's an equal-opportunity mischief-maker. The language is brisk and concise; accompanying illustrations capture each story's essence in a rich, bright palette.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 1991;
November, 2016
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| September, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0329-7$16.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Alison Jay.
This engaging close retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm tale features the twelve princesses whose shoes are found every morning "worn with holes, as though they had been danced in all night." It takes a clever soldier with a magic cloak to discover the princesses' secret. Jay's colorful, crackle-glazed illustrations give the detailed spreads a folklike, antique feel, which enhances the fairy-tale elements.
48 pp.
| Little Gestalten
| October, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-3-89955-767-1$19.95
(2)
K-3
Adapted by Marine Tasso.
Translated by Noelia Hobeika.
This version of the traditional cautionary tale is set at Christmas (thus occasioning the book's red-and-green color scheme) and in 1283. The book uses its tall, narrow format effectively to convey the creepy atmosphere, most dramatically in a double-page spread of the rats converging on--and devouring--a boxful of poison that is no match for the creatures, who "savored the poison as if it were candy."
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2016
32 pp.
| North-South
| December, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7358-4267-0$17.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Bernadette Watts.
In this retelling of the Brothers Grimm tale, a widow and her lazy daughter make the other "beautiful and good" daughter do all the housework. Each daughter spends time in magical Mother Holly's world and is rewarded for her behavior accordingly. Watts's version offers a happier ending, redeeming the lazy daughter, while the book's pastel-colored palette reflects the overall gentle tone of the story.