A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales
Six retold fairy tales, from Rumpelstiltskin and the Frog Prince to the stories of Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood, are accompanied by lively and humorous illustrations.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Jeanne and Bill Steig have collaborated on three other books, including Alpha Beta Chowder. They live in Boston, MA.
From School Library Journal:
Kindergarten-Grade 3-These witty and clever retellings of six favorite fairy tales ("Rumpelstiltskin," "Beauty and the Beast," "Hansel and Gretel," "Little Red Riding Hood," "The Frog Prince," and "Jack and the Beanstalk") smoothly incorporate new rhymes and language nuances, and embellish the flavor of the original stories. Though the book is attractively designed with an easy-to-hold size and shape (6" x 8" lengthwise), the format begets some flaws. Each story has four or five single-page illustrations, but they are not plentiful enough to break up the many double-page spreads of solid text. Bold capital letters at the beginning of each sentence attempt to lighten the text density. The colorful illustrations carry Steig's familiar style but more coarsely caricature the well-known characters. His figures are definitely not genteel and seem more like peasantish rogues. Overall, they have less sprightliness and charm than the retellings. Still, there is an irresistible appeal created by the book size and cunning wordsmithery.
Julie Cummins, New York Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Julie Cummins, New York Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherHarperCollins
- Publication date1998
- ISBN 10 0062051636
- ISBN 13 9780062051639
- BindingLibrary Binding
- Number of pages144
- Rating
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A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales
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(1998)
ISBN 10: 0062051636
ISBN 13: 9780062051639
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Book Description Condition: Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Seller Inventory # N15F-01284
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A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales
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HarperCollins Publishers
(1998)
ISBN 10: 0062051636
ISBN 13: 9780062051639
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.95. Seller Inventory # G0062051636I3N10
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A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales
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HarperCollins Publishers
(1998)
ISBN 10: 0062051636
ISBN 13: 9780062051639
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Book Description Library Binding. Condition: Good. Seller Inventory # SONG0062051636
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Book Description Library Binding. Condition: Good. 1998. (2nd Printing). A good hardcover ex-library book with usual library markings, clean text pages, and moderate cover wear. The dust jacket is covered in mylar Booksavers receives donated books and recycles them in a variety of ways. Proceeds benefit the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in the U.S. and around the world. Seller Inventory # mon0000264512
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A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales Retold
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers
(1998)
ISBN 10: 0062051636
ISBN 13: 9780062051639
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First edition. Previous owner's name. A long time ago, when magic was more of an everyday matter." begins Jeanne Steig's version of "The Frog Prince," an opener that typifies her sly irony and lilting language in this hand-sized volume. She and husband William Steig, who previously collaborated on Alpha Beta Chowder, deliver droll retellings and puckish new art for six familiar tales. Though youngsters may wish there were more illustrations to break up the sometimes text-laden pages, they won't soon forget William Steig's interpretation of Rumpelstiltskin, a "bizarre little man with a pickle-shaped nose and a lumpish body," stomping in outrage when the Queen guesses his name, or the snoring giant clutching his gold coins as Jack attempts to lift a few for his trip down the beanstalk. The artist whimsically refashions the well-known cast, exaggerating their fatal flaws or winning attributes, while placing them in everyday settings. Jeanne Steig also keeps the stories immediately recognizable by traveling the traditional plot lines, but she refreshes each of them by wryly rewarding the virtuous and punishing the villainous with equal panache. For example, in "Beauty and the Beast," the friends of Beauty's two superficial sisters wickedly predict the outcome of the duo's move from elegant townhouse to small country cottage: "Let them prance through the fields/ In chiffon and high heels,/ Raising arrogant brows/ At the goggle-eyed cows!" Similarly pithy verse appears throughout these fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel also put in an appearance), each of which concludes with a fitting rhymed couplet. A handful of tales certain to please adults as much as children. All ages. William Steig (1907 ? 2003) was an American cartoonist, illustrator and writer of children's books, best known for the picture book Shrek!, which inspired the film series of the same name, as well as others that included Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Abel's Island, and Doctor De Soto. He was the U.S. nominee for both of the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Awards, as a children's book illustrator in 1982 and a writer in 1988. Seller Inventory # SKU2010022857
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