Customer Reviews

The Golden Book of Fairy Tales (Golden Classics)

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay, I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the BEST book of fairy tales you will ever find in the English language. Certainly, there are books out there with more tales or more happily-ever-after endings, but this is the best. Period. I received it as a gift when I was a child and I absolutely adored it. The illustrations are truly gorgeous - most have a pseudo-Renaissance appearance to them and ALL have really amazing detail. They are also quite enormous, taking up an entire page and sometimes 2 entire pages! You can tell a real painter, not a typical kids' book animator, created these works of art. The artwork adds an extra element of classical style to these 28 stories, which have been gathered from all around the world. Some of the stories are familiar, some are not, but all have been translated with great care and love; this is immediately evident when you read even the familiar ones like Sleeping Beauty and realize that the details are a little different from the typical sanguine, Disneyfied versions you commonly see. These tales are probably very much like their original versions; in other words, they are not always happy, and sometimes they are actually quite sad. I remember as a child loving the stories yet fearing to read a few of them too because they were so sad. But this very trait is what makes them so dear to me beyond any other versions of the same tales that you might read ...

One last word - this is quite an oversized book - 11' X 20' or so. So if you buy it, be sure you have a large enough bookshelf for it, because this is a book you will keep forever! Five stars all the way!

My mother began reading this book to us when we were small, and it was read so much that it literally fell apart. My siblings and I have fought over the pieces for years, so much so, that a few years ago we all received xerox copies for Christmas. Because of the reprinting we all received a new copy for Christmas this year! It contains some of the loveliest illustrations I have ever seen and the stories are so unique! As an Elementary school librarian I have yet to see it's equal in fairy tale books. It is an absolute favorite at our house!

I am so excited to see this book back in print. I bought this book for myself when I was 10 yrs old. My best friend "Ellen" had the book and when I spent the night at her house her mother would read us stories from the Golden Book Of Fairy Tales. Some of my favorite stories are Donkeyskin,Greensnake,and Bluecrest. The pictures are incredible. These are not your average well known fairy tales. I still have my copy and have read it to both my daughters over the years. They are now 17 and 23. My oldest daughter told me about 1 month ago that she saw this book was back in print. I was so happy. I have purchased 5 copies since, and am thrilled. I have taken a copy to work to show my friends and almost everyone has ordered one as it is truely a beautiful and unique book. I have one copy now for each of my daughters,in fact my 17 yr old asked me to read to her again out of it. I hope they will share it with their children and enjoy the stories as much as I did when I was a little girl. Buy this book, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

This is a lovely book. The fairy tales are from many different countries and include the classics such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast, as well as other, lesser known tales like Tinder Box, The White Deer, and Queen Cat. All are well written, good stories.

The ilustrations are beautiful, but not all are in full color and they are not on every page. For children under age 3 or 4, depending on how well the child concentrates on a story, the lack of pictures on each page can make it hard for them to follow the story. I read this book constantly to my 3.5 year old girl and she loves it, but she often wants to know why the picture doesn't match the part of the story we're reading. I'm happy with the book, but I'm writing about this issue with the pictures since many reviewers said that was a strength of the book. Yes, the illustrations are beautiful, but half are full color, the other half are charcoal on pink paper, and there are little sketches throughout such as flowers or a basket of fruits which are mainly space fillers.

I highly recommend the book to those who are fine with one illustration per 3-4 page story.

I own an original print of this book. It was much read and much loved. I even went so far as to have my original book rebound in leather when it was falling apart. I've looked for a second copy for years but just can't afford the $175-$250 price for a vintage copy. I am so pleased to see it is being reprinted and I can buy a new copy in excellent condition. I've ordered this book so I can have a second, less fragile copy and can't wait to get it. The illustrations are stunning and there are many unusual stories not easily found. This book was truly ahead of it's time as it contained stories from many different cultures before that became fashionable. You won't be sorry if you buy this book.

This is the best collection of fairy tales I have ever seen. Our mother used to read it to us for hours when we were children, she'd have to completely lose her voice before we'd let her stop. One of my favourite memories is piling on Mom's bed with my four sisters to gaze at the pictures and listen to these fabulous stories. Our copy was ruined by water damage during a move when I was around 11 or 12, and I remember I cried when Mom told me it was gone. I nearly cried again at 25 when I found it on your website, and called Mom right away. She was as excited as I was to have it again. We both recognized it immediately by the unforgettabe illustrations, which are more beautiful than in any other collection, and I have never seen some of these stories anywhere else. I can't wait to pile on the bed with my own children, and let their Nana create some favourite memories for them.

Thoughout my childhood in the early '50s and '60s, I read every myth and fairytale book I could find, easily numbering in the hundreds. Amongst all of these, a small
handful truly rose above the rest. The superb storytelling of Marie Ponsot and haunting illustrations of Adrienne Segur continue to shine through the years since the book was first created. The Golden Book of Fairy Tales is nothing less than a classic, a gorgeous collaboration of art and story at its finest.

It was out of print for many years, and as an adult, I searched long and hard before
finding an original copy. (In fact, every year I would call my hometown library where
I first discovered the book to ask if it was going to be retired and sold, and always the answer was no!)
Golden Books has done an admirable job of reprinting what was originally entitled
simply, "The Fairy Tale Book", published by Simon & Schuster in 1958. Though the
original colors were more subdued, the depth and richness of the Golden Book edition are appealing.

Over the years, I've met a number of adults who have equally vivid memories of and attachments to this volume. Adrienne Segur's work, known for its lyricism and lush detail, has influenced many contemporary fantasy, fairytale and children's book illustrators and authors. Marie Ponsot was a gifted translator and scholar whose writing never condescends and creates a singular spell of its own.

Ponsot and Segur collaborated on two other children's books that were published in the US, "The Snow Queen and Other Tales", also reissued by Golden Books, (and available on Amazon) and "My Big Book of Cat Stories", English translation pub. 1967 by Golden Press, which, unfortunately, remains out of print. The artwork in "The Snow Queen" doesn't quite live up to the standard of Fairy Tales, but is certainly worth having. "Cat Stories" retains the quality of art in FT, and like the other two titles, contains tales not usually found in such collections. It is worth the effort to find! I am hoping that Golden Books with go forward with reissuing it.

I ultimately became a collector of children's fairytale books and art and created a lifetime in the arts because of books such as this one. Most highly and enthusiastically recommended!

I love this book. The stories are witten in a language of shimmering rainbows which paints elaborate mental masterpieces within the fertile finds of young readers. (I grew up reading this book; my mother still has a copy of the 1952 edition at home, so my opinion is colored by nostalgia.) This is one of the better retelling of the classic fairy stories that I have seen, and I highly recommend it for children of all ages. The illustrations alone are enough to justify the purchase--intricately detailed, haunting depictions.

I was so shocked to find that this wonderful book of fairy tales had been reprinted. It was my favorite book growing up in the late 1950-1960's and I used to read it with my sisters every night. Our book is tattered and falling apart, few survived in decent shape due to the size of the book causing stress on the binding AND the constant use they received! My youngest sister ended up with our book and no amount of money would pry it loose from her. I finally found a rebound copy for myself but wanted copies for my children so they could share it with their family some day and was thrilled to be able to order one for each of them. This book is timeless with classic stories from around the world and fantastic illustrations - the best fairy tale book ever produced. It would make a perfect baby shower gift so I think I will be stocking up on more of them soon!

I still have my much loved copy from 1960. Since family legend has it that one of the authors, Charles Perreault, was an ancestor, this was a much revered book. Mine was lost by younger nieces and was recovered in an attic about 10 years ago -- my parents paid a bookbinder $200 to try to restore it and actually press new pulp into the rips because the book was so special. My own two daughters love Mommy's special book but I have been dreading thinking of them fighting over it when they grow up and want to pass it onto their own kids. I just bought two new copies and am so glad I can pass it on to future generations. My daughters will be thrilled to have their own copies to dream over. The illustrations are magnificent and some of the fairy tales from Japan and Russia quite unique. If you only buy ONE book of fairy tales in your life, this is the one!!