Fairy Tales [Hardcover]

Jane Ray (Illustrator), Berlie Doherty (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2000 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Authentic retellings of twelve familiar and well-loved fairy tales, gorgeously illustrated.

With a poet's ear and deep respect for the magic at the heart of our most resonant fairy tales, acclaimed author Berlie Doherty casts a sumptuous spell. Her masterful and authentic retellings of twelve treasured tales are well-matched by Jane Ray's evocative illustrations. Teeming with rich colors, golden trim patterns, silhouettes, and symbols, these pictures—like the timeless stories they interpret—are to be pored over and cherished. Come back to CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE FROG PRINCE, and eight other beloved tales. Enter a haunting world of magic and enchantment.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Berlie Doherty, author of many books for young people, including Carnegie Medal-winner Dear Nobody, says fairy tales "are enchanted dreams. We remember them as if they had been sung to us while we were under the spell of a long deep sleep." And according to acclaimed picture-book illustrator Jane Ray, "fairy tales are the earth beneath our feet, giving us roots and helping us find our place in the world, but they also offer a glimpse of the magical and the enchanted." With two such eloquently mystical creators at the helm, any collection of fairy tales is bound to be magical. Sure enough, this team's magnificent Fairy Tales glimmers and shines, giving new life to traditional favorites such as "Beauty and the Beast," "Cinderella," "Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp," and "Hansel and Gretel." Doherty's retellings are respectful of the originals, while incorporating her own strong, vibrant voice. Ray's watercolor, ink, and collage illustrations, surrounding the gold-framed text, are truly stunning, in exotic colors and exquisite tapestry-style patterns. Characters seem to come from all parts of the world--appropriately enough, since the stories have "echoes in many different cultures." The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault would be proud. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

Two accomplished artists here join forces to create a fairy tale anthology. The happy-ever-after result is this elegant volume, which blends Doherty's (Dear Nobody) superb retellings of 12 favorite stories and Ray's (Hansel and Gretel) sumptuous mixed-media illustrations. The author takes great care to preserve the authenticity of these oft-told stories, modeling her work on the earliest available sources (the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen among them). To these stalwart blueprints, Doherty adds her distinct storytelling style, which brims with vivid detail, producing fresh versions sure to captivate readers anew. In "Cinderella" for example, she injects into the many traditional elements an enchanted hazel tree instead of a fairy godmother. To distinguish one tale from the next, Ray frames her artwork with generous borders containing images from the corresponding story. Her signature gold paint and folk art motifs prevail, but she also adds a number of striking silhouette-collage compositions to the repertoire. A multi-ethnic cast of characters and distinct landscapes place the action from Asia to India to Europe and beyond. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763609978
• ISBN-13: 978-0763609979
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,384,230 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Gorgeous, September 8, 2000

By 

Lenora Heikkinen "writer" (Winnipeg, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fairy Tales (Hardcover)

As a longtime lover of Fairy tales, I've gotten rather picky about which picture book versions I pick up. And I wanted to buy this book the first time I flicked through it.

This one includes a variety of stories, all well known, from the obvious choices, like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, to Aladdin, and the Wild Swans. The stories are told well, though without any newness - these are familiar, comfortable stories.

Ah, but it wasn't the tellings of the stories which had me sold on this book. Jane Ray's illustrations are utterly beautiful. Normally, I am a fan of neo-renaissance illustrations - almost realistic, almost three dimensional, and full of elegant landscapes (See Kinuko Craft's work) The illustrations in this book are flat, far more stylized - but they're full of movement and feeling, and they look like they came from the best of medieval manuscripts. The touches of metallic gold only add to this impression. The full colour full page illustrations are also complemented by silhouette illustrations and border images along many other pages. This is inspired art, lovely to look on, and perfectly matches the feeling of fairy tale stories.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Twelve Classic FairyTales That Shine Like New, November 27, 2001

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fairy Tales (Hardcover)

This is a physically beautiful volume, medium sized and easy to hold while you have your arm around another person. The illustrations are unique and creative and accented with gold which adds to the magical ambiance. The pages have colorful decorated borders and the interesting use of silhouettes is striking. The text is true to the original tales while being melodious, fresh and inviting. Don't miss the enchanting picture of Cinderella that goes with this text, "She heard a fluttering as if all the leaves were unfurling at once, and the birds of the tree flew down carrying a silver dress and slippers that glittered like stars." Now isn't that a little better than Bibbity Bobbity Boo?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Treasure, June 1, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Fairy Tales (Hardcover)

The artwork initially caught my eye with this book. Jane Ray's enchanting combination of watercolor, ink, and collage drew me in completely. The design is reminiscent of a beloved scrapbook, and it is truly beautiful. Text blocks and illustrations are bordered with gold accents, creating the illusion that they have been "mounted" on their exquisitely designed backgrounds. The colors are rich and the images range from simple silhouettes to intricately detailed landscapes and portraits.

Ray adds to the book's charm with her multicultural representations of characters. In addition to traditional (Caucasian) depictions, readers encounter a Black "Beauty," a Chinese "Aladdin," a Moroccan sorcerer, a henna-tattooed Indian princess, and a variety of other diverse characters. While the stories all hail from Western Europe, the illustrations and character portrayals add an element of multiculturalism and diversity.

Although many of the story titles are familiar, they are by no means ordinary or generic. Berlie Doherty has traced them back to their roots in order to maintain the original "essence" of the classic tales she has chosen. In a generation where many fairy tale classics have been altered and homogenized by the entertainment industry, Doherty's return to the original versions is both refreshing and pleasantly nostalgic. Fairy tale novices and veterans alike will be enchanted and intrigued.

This book has quickly become a valued treasure in my collection for its unique appeal and beauty. The text is candid and honest, incorporating elements of humor, sadness, joy, and more while still maintaining the original "magic" of the tales. A great book for yourself or as a gift - I highly recommend it!