Hansel and Gretel

by Sybille Schenker (Illustrator), Brothers Grimm

Overview

This tale of children in peril has timeless appeal, and the breathtaking illustrations will find a discriminating audience

This stunning edition of the classic fairy tale makes brilliant use of translucent paper and silhoutte-like illustrations to enliven every page. “Once upon a time, there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel . . .” and so begins the thrilling story of two children relying on their wits to survive in a hostile world. Sybille Schenker’s evocative and exquisite illustrations bring a unique beauty and graphic excellence to a timeless favorite.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789888240548
Publisher:	minedition
Publication date:	12/01/2013
Pages:	52
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 10.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

The Brothers Grimm are famous throughout the world for their tales and legends, which have been translated, retold, and illustrated by myriad authors and artists. Sybille Schenker is a freelance illustrator and holds a master’s degree from the School of Visual Arts. She lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"Without a doubt, it is the most beautiful fairy tale I’ve seen this year." —Elizabeth Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal

"Gorgeous... A sumptuous edition of the old fairy tale uses striking design to place readers in the forest with the children... the text has an appropriately old-fashioned feel that supports Schenker’s masterful interpretation." —Kirkus Reviews

"Sybille' Schenker's evocative and exquisite illustrations bring a quince beauty to this enduring fairy tale . . . . one of the most beautifully illustrated children's books I've read . . . . definitely a must have!" —mundiekids.blogspot.com

From the Publisher

If you think you know the story of “Hansel and Gretel” then you will want to take a look at this picture book. The background of the title page is yellow with small, sweet flowers. Turn the page and you will find yourself immersed in the dark of night. Something sinister is definitely going on. Schenker continues to engage the readers’ emotions in her use of silhouette, color and tone, and overlays of partially translucent pages. There are often several together, giving the reader a feeling of entering and exiting the forest with Hansel and Gretel. Schenker’s use of black and white is often startling. The step-mother’s bony, pointed finger is symbolically repeated in the barren tree branches of the forest, and again in the witch’s fingers. The text has a lovely flow to it. The fragile twine binding makes this a beautiful gift book. There is a removable plastic cover that might help make this more acceptable as a library item, and despite the binding, the book feels secure as the reader turns the pages. If you have a storytime collection of special books, this should definitely be on your shelf. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo; Ages 6 to adult.

Children's Literature - Sharon Salluzzo

★ 2013-11-02
A sumptuous edition of the old fairy tale uses striking design to place readers in the forest with the children. The title is laser cut into the all-black cover in a Gothic script that, pleasingly, makes "Hansel and Gretel" look much like "Hansel und Gretel"--the first of many touches that tell readers this is no ordinary book. The stitching of the case is in orange thread that is visible through the clear plastic overlay that protects the cover. The orange appears again, through the die-cut window of the poor woodcutter's cottage, seen in silhouette against a lowering sky. From the outside, it looks cozy, but with the turn of the page, readers see the wicked stepmother with finger crooked, talonlike, against the now-ominous orange background. This page is semitransparent; a flock of birds can be seen taking flight on the next page. Silhouetted ferns, birds and trees appear and recede in spooky, disorienting fashion, visible in both directions through the many semitransparent pages. Delicate pencil and ink drawings complement the heavy silhouettes, which are reminiscent of the work of Nikki McClure. The witch's cottage itself is a wild crazy quilt of patterns (including a bit of digitally collaged candy bar) placed on a deceptively safe-looking chintz background. Adapted by West from a public-domain edition of the tale, the text has an appropriately old-fashioned feel that supports Schenker's masterful interpretation. Gorgeous. (Picture book/fairy tale. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews