Little Book of Fairy Tales - Hardcover

Uribe, Verónica

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0888995830 ISBN 13: 9780888995834

Publisher: Groundwood Books, 2004

Synopsis

Little Book of Fairy Tales is the second volume in the Little Book series and includes best-loved fairy tales such as "Puss in Boots," "Sleeping Beauty" and "Rumpelstiltskin" as well as less familiar but equally intriguing stories "The Seven Ravens", "The Three Feathers" and "Bearskin."

Verónica Uribe’s versions of these tales are based on collections by the Brothers Grimm, from nineteenth century Germany, and those of Charles Perrault, from late seventeenth century France, as well as numerous other sources. The result is a lively and refreshing retelling of many traditional stories.

In her selection of tales and emphasis on certain passages, Uribe was guided by Bruno Bettelheim’s The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, which describes the elements in fairy tales most important for a child’s emotional development. Uribe also includes fascinating notes at the end of the book describing the origin and history of each tale and how different versions vary.

Beautifully retold and vibrantly illustrated, this collection will delight readers coming to these fairy tales for the very first time as well as those with treasured memories of them.

About this title

About the Author:

Verónica Uribe is a highly regarded author and editor of children’s books who has always been fascinated by fairy tales and their history. She was co-founder of the noted publisher Ediciones Ekaré in Venezuela and now runs the publishers’ Chilean office. She was also a member of the Hans Christian Andersen Award jury for many years. She has written a number of children’s books including the award-winning title Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, illustrated by Gloria Calderon and published by Groundwood Books in 2001.

Gisela Arévalo is a Spanish illustrator who lives in Barcelona, Spain.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6 Up–A collection of nine familiar and three lesser-known folktales in a palm-sized format. Uribe has drawn elements from Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Italy's Giambattista Basile to weave her own versions. For example, in "Little Red Riding Hood," the Grimm's version is followed but concludes with Little Red Riding Hood's observation, "If only I had stayed on the path, none of this would have happened," which is Perrault's ending. Extensive endnotes describe the origins of the stories as well as the differences and similarities among the popular versions. Also included are some of Bruno Bettelheim's observations from The Uses of Enchantment, which guided Uribe's choices about which tales to include and which plot points to stress in order to enhance "children's emotional growth." The illustrations were done in Photoshop and Painter from a combination of photographs, drawings, and scanned objects. They are quite interesting–surreal and mature in nature. In an image of the sleeping Snow White, the dwarves, posed in front of an eerie cavernous background, appear almost fiendish. Overall, the collection is for older children who are acquainted with other versions of these stories and who would enjoy learning more about their favorite tales.–Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
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About this edition

• Publisher: Groundwood Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0888995830
• ISBN 13: 9780888995834
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 132
• Illustrator: Arévalo Gisela