Red by Jed Alexander

A new spin on the classic fairy tale of Red Riding Hood, Jed Alexander's wordless picture book brings us back into the woods where viewers follow Red as she makes her way to Granny's house. She meets the wolf along the path who slyly distracts and blocks her view of the other forest animals scurrying away. The wolf patronizing Red's precocious and sassy behaviour makes for a humorous encounter. The surprise ending is satisfying and sweet.

The illustrations are two tone, using only red and black colours. The page edges are also inked in red. The wolf is gigantic with a mouth large enough to swallow both Red and Granny whole. Luckily for them it's a benevolent wolf. It is best to already know the traditional tale this book is based upon to fully appreciate the humour in Red. This is Jed Alexander's debut picture book. Recommended for all ages.

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Cameron Kids 2018
Hardcover 24p
10.25" x 7.25"

Gris Grimly's Tales from the Brothers Grimm

There are countless books based on the fairy tales written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Readers have a plethora of choices from picture books to larger volumes. Gris Grimly's Tales from the Brothers Grimm has my attention. It is a selection of forty tales translated from the German Household Stories by Margaret Hunt. There are a few popular tales but most are not well-known and all very short; being only a few pages in length. It is no surprise that some of the stories may be too gruesome and violent for a modern child's reading but it is also this dark fantasy that draws the reader in. Most of the stories here build up to a doom and gloom atmosphere but all end happily.

There are many illustrations throughout the book with nine of them in colour, drawn by the incredibly talented Gris Grimly. His stylistic art adds quirky charm and lightens the mood of the stories quite a bit. My favourite illustration from this book is the witch at the candy house from Hansel and Gretel; that sinister smile! Gris Grimly is a pseudonym for this American artist whose other works include illustrations for classics from Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Mary Shelley.

The deckle edges are a nice touch as is the foil stamping on the inside cover and spine. It's a thick book but fits nicely in your hands. Recommended for ages 9+.

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HarperCollins Publishers 2016
Hardcover 288p
7"× 9"

Classic Fairy Tales by Scott Gustafson

Happy new year! It's been a while since my last post but I'm very excited to have discovered a new illustrator. His name is Scott Gustafson. He attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and Columbia College Chicago and graduated with a degree in animation. Scott Gustafson illustrated several children's books such as The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore and Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. His work has earned him multiple awards which include the 2015 Spectrum Fantastic Art Grand Master Award.

More recently, he has illustrated three fairy tale books: Classic Fairy Tales, Classic Bedtime Stories and Classic Storybook Fables. As the titles suggests, these are all classic tales mainly from Grimm and Perrault. All three volumes are the same size and quite large too. I like these even more than Grimms' Fairy Tales by Don Daily. Every spread is richly illustrated. Below are some of my favourite illustrations from Classic Fairy Tales; this first volume is the best of the three because it has ten stories whereas the other two books only have eight stories. Also, Gustafson has painted a cover specifically for Classic Fairy Tales. I appreciate that over a duplicate of an internal illustration. The illustrations vary in size; some full page and some as a double page spread but all lush and opulent. The writing is an easy read with its very familiar storylines and large text make it a good choice for beginner readers. All three volumes are in reprint by Artisan Books. One of my copies is published by The Greenwich Workshop which has slightly thicker paper. All volumes come with a dust jacket.

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Artisan Books 2003
Hardcover 144p
10.8" x 12.2"

Grimms' Fairy Tales - The Classic Edition Illustrated by Don Daily

Fairy tales written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are among some of the most popular and retold stories for children. With numerous adaptations and illustrations from so many gifted artists, it was impossible to choose a favourite. Among several outstanding titles, I've chosen Grimms' Fairy Tales, The Classic Edition, illustrated by Don Daily (1939-2002) with text adapted by Elizabeth Encarnacion. I was really pleased to find this new edition by Applesauce Press as the previous one is out of print. Don Daily is an author and illustrator of children's books. His published works include classics such as: The Wind in the Willows, The Jungle Book and The Classic Treasury of Aesop's Fables. He also illustrated several Christmas books with The Velveteen Rabbit Or How Toys Become Real being my top choice for holiday themed books. Don Daily is a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California.

This collection contains five short stories: The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, The Old Woman in the Forest and Brier Rose. The pacing is fast and each story takes about five minutes of reading time. The reading skill level is for grades 2-5. The illustrations are fantastic and truly deserved a new edition and reprinting. There are large illustrations on every page and the layout of the book is quite nice. The paper stock is thick, semi-gloss with an illusion of texture, which I prefer over the stark white. I predict this book will be borrowed often in libraries. This is a fine choice for anyone looking for an introduction to tales from the Brothers Grimm.

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Applesauce Press 2014
Hardcover 64p
10.5" x 11"

Hansel & Gretel by Holly Hobbie

Hansel and Gretel is a German tale first published in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm and remains very popular to this day. The story involves two young children who are deserted by their father and stepmother deep in the woods. Lost and hungry, they are lured into a house made of cake and candy. The homeowner is an old, evil witch who poses as a kind and gracious host but by next morning she reveals her true self and captures the siblings with the intent of eating them. In the beginning of the story, Hansel appears to be more of the thinker and active in the siblings escape from peril but it is Gretel who outwits the witch in the end.

This version of Hansel and Gretel by Holly Hobbie is adapted from Grimms' Tales for Young and Old translated by Ralph Manheim (1977). The text has been shortened with the focus being the wonderful illustrations. Ms. Hobbie uses watercolours, pen and ink and gouache for her twenty-two paintings in this book. The mood is subdued with effective use of shadow and light. The darker aspect of this story may have been written to warn children about trusting strangers. Recommended for ages 5+.

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Little, Brown and Company 2015
Hardcover 32p
10.4" x 10.2"

One of the Earliest Versions of Little Red Riding Hood with Wood Engravings by Walter Crane

We’ll begin our first story with one of the most well-known fairy tales, Little Red Riding Hood also known as Little Red Cap or Red Riding Hood. The origin of this story is unclear. Charles Perrault wrote his version in 1697 and much later Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm adapted their version in 1812. The popularity of these two variations of the story would make it appear to have European origins however, a Chinese poet named Huang Zhing also penned his version during the 17th century. Our video features illustrations by Walter Crane (1845-1915) from a book published in 1875 by George Routledge & Sons. We’ve modernized the text and hope you enjoy it!

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