Customer Reviews

The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book contains 52 classic tales from over 30 countries! I thought I was well-versed in fairy tales; however, of the numerous tales included in this particular book, I was familiar with only eight. The stories are not terribly long, an average of only 2-4 pages in length. It is a wonderful book for parents to read with their children, great for giving your kids (and yourself) a more rounded view of the world. But keep in mind, these are not 'Disney' tales, they more resemble the original Brother's Grimm stories.

This book has wonderful stories from all different cultures. Illustrations are magic! BUT I don't know what they were thinking when they aged it at 4-8 yrs. No way! Bluebeard in particular is gruesome. A good book for parents to read WITH their kids - they get the exposure with backup explanation from you. Also, stories are short enough that you still have time to do the explanation!

This is one of the most imaginable stories recently printed. Our 11 year old grandson and I have enjoyed this book, even though I don't like all the decapitations. Definitely not recommended for anyone younger than eight. When I read to our grandson's 8 year old sister, I avoid 50% of the book, and never let her read it without some explanation from me. The illustrations are wonderful. We also enjoy the comparisons of the same story told in other countries.

This is one of the best Fairy Tale compilations there is. It not only provides unique and enthraling tales in combination with the timeless well known and beloved ones but it shows them in great detail and depth. With each story is a flowing beautiful illistration that details the tale as well as the history of the story - where it came from, what some of the reverances are to, why the teller picks certain images. It is truely a lovely book which I hope many others will enjoy for years to come!

Neil Philip not only tells us the classic tales such as "Sleeping Beauty," "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Cinderella," he also includes a world of tales from South America, the Far East, Asia and Australia. These are traditional stories which have been told by firesides and hearths for centuries.

Nilesh Mistry's illustrations are so beautiful, you must see them to believe it. Fairies with delicate pastel wings, haunting castles, beautiful maidens eating oranges, gnomes dancing by bonfires, Persian gardens, horses riding through fire, sly wolves, purple headed dragons and green demons are just some of the enchanting images. If you fall in love with his illustrations, look for: "The Illustrated Book of Myths."

The details of the landscape, costume and building design of each country was considered and makes the illustrations all the more magical and authentic. The origin of each story is given on the contents pages. The stories are grouped together with other stories which have similar themes.

Stories in which characters fall under a spell are in the first section. Poor heroes hoping to make their fortunes follows. The last section includes stories in which love conquers all.

Neil Philip has a Ph.D in myth and folklore and has a great talent for giving insight into the cultural background of each story. Many stories have changed over time, yet they still hold true to the basic premise that evil is punished and good is rewarded. Fairy tales are filled with magic and wonder. They do in fact cast a spell on the reader.

Enter this world of talking animals, magical creatures, evil witches, princes and maidens. These stories have lived in the minds of man since the beginning of history. Gifted story tellers on every continent have contributed to the richness of these enthralling visions. Look for the elements of truth in the stories. Secretly, I think adults enjoy these stories just as much as children do.

~The Rebecca Review

Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of

best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

This is a wonderful book. Some of the stories are for a bit more mature audience (there are some heads getting cut off, and a few deamons, etc.) But the stories are short and can be skimmed ahead of time, and there are lots of stories great for all ages. I love that the perimeter of the book is filled with fun facts and history about the stores, so its educational and inspirational. Great book.

I have already returned this book. This book cost me about $38 to buy (with S&H), and $11 to return for shipping and handling. This book is too expensive for a book of this meager size. I could have easily gotten a similar book for only $20. The illustration is nice but I guess I was expecting more detailed stories (given its price) like Barnes & Nobles' collectors edition for fairy tales.

i am not a squeamish or overly protective parent, but i was shocked and horrified at the graphic violence and gory details that were prescient in this book. bluebeard (which had been previously referenced) was completely over the top!!! in addition, there are unnecessary references to pre-marital sex (e.g. rapunzel and the frog prince). the stories may be true to the original, but it is not for my 5 year old daughter. it is in the recycling bin.