The Classic Grimm's Fairy Tales - Hardcover

Once upon a time in Germany, some 200 years ago, the brothers Grimm began collecting unusual tales from friends, relatives, and a variety of acquaintances. They eventually recorded their stories, which not only found their way across the ocean, but also around the globe. The stories survive to this day as Grimm's fairy tales, in which wolves, witches, and cruel stepmothers abound. Children get lost in the woods, grandma gets eaten by a wolf, and robbers steal into houses in the dead of night, among other misfortunes. But never fear! Precocious children, beautiful princesses, and enchanted animals prevail in the battle between good and evil. Seven artists provide lively illustrations for the stories included in this treasury of tales.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Ten of the most familiar Grimm tales, including "Snow White," "Rumplestiltskin," "Rapunzel," and "The Fisherman and His Wife," presented in a handsome format with full-color illustrations by seven different artists. Although the oversized book seems attractive at first glance, closer examination reveals some serious flaws. Egan's retellings are curiously flat, written in dull and unimaginative language. In an attempt to simplify the stories, elements of plot are skimmed over, and a jarring lack of descriptive detail makes the stories seem sketchy and uninvolving. Readers will be left wondering where the magic of the original stories has gone. The illustrations vary considerably in quality and mood. Erin Wise's for "Cinderella" and Karen Pritchett's for "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Hansel and Gretel" are the most successful, far outstripping the watered-down texts. The rest range from saccharine to cartoonish, featuring awkward postures; flat, featureless faces; and undistinguished technique. --Linda Boyles, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.