The Barefoot Book of Fairy Tales - Hardcover

Malachy Doyle began his career as a childrens writer in 1996 and was met with immediate success, having thirteen books accepted for publication within the year. He has also written Tales of Old Ireland (1-84148-279-X) for Barefoot Books. Malachy lives in Wales with his wife and three daughters. Nicoletta Ceccoli lives in San Marino, a small republic in central Italy. In 2000 she won the prestigious Andersen prize for the best Italian childrens book illustrator. Her other titles with Barefoot include An Island in the Sun (1-84148-197-4), The Faerys Gift (1-84148-997-2), Little Red Riding Hood (1-90122-326-4) and The Princess and the White Bear King (1-84148-242-0), all of which have received widespread acclaim.

"Malachy Doyle's collection includes plenty of standards (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin), but is distinguished by its lesser known tales, including the high adventure of "The Jeweled Sea," the dark suspense of "The Magic Ball," and the wonderful oddities and wit of "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship." With Ceccoli's gorgeous and occasionally quirky illustrations and Doyle's traditional, uncluttered, lyrical retellings, this anthology makes a fantastic gift for modern kids seeking a little literary magic." --Sioux Falls Woman Magazine

"[Doyle] knows the details that will leave kids chortling. 'Cut my toenails!' is among the commands made by Cinderella's bullying stepsisters (referred to as 'the lumpy one' and 'the dumpy one'). Like Doyle's text, Ceccoli's acrylic-and-pastel artwork stays close to traditional images, while also injecting a modern vibrancy." --Booklist

"Malachy Doyle's collection includes plenty of standards (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin), but is distinguished by its lesser known tales, including the high adventure of "The Jeweled Sea," the dark suspense of "The Magic Ball," and the wonderful oddities and wit of "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship." With Ceccoli's gorgeous and occasionally quirky illustrations and Doyle's traditional, uncluttered, lyrical retellings, this anthology makes a fantastic gift for modern kids seeking a little literary magic." --Sioux Falls Woman Magazine