Snow White and Rose Red [Hardcover]

B. Watts (Author), J. Grimm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1988

A bear, befriended by two sisters during the winter, returns one day to reward them royally for their kindness.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Every detail of this intricately illustrated volume seems to extol the triumph of beauty and purity, as symbolized by the lovely, fragile rose. Floral garlands adorn the book inside and out, and heart-shaped rosette wreaths frame each page number. Romping blissfully through the flora, the eponymous sisters exhibit a cherubic innocence, their chubby cheeks and rounded bodies suffused in a soft glow. In contrast the woeful bear embodies a feral shagginess, evoking the ursine images from Spirin's Once There Was a Tree. As with this artist's previous fairy tale interpretations, the superbly executed paintings enhance the story's grandeur; at times, however, the effect is somewhat diminished by the characters' frozen, china-doll expressions. This enduring tale distinguishes between the personalities of the two girls but, happily, makes no judgments. The book's handsome design adds to its Old World allure: text and art are set forth in ruled, arch-shaped borders, while Spirin's colorations suggest medieval tapestries. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-- In the last few years, Spirin has demonstrated to American audiences that he is indeed a "master" of classical illustration. In fact, as with his The White Cat (Orchard, 1990) and Rumpelstiltskin (Dial, 1991), his work here seems to deliberately evoke the "Old Masters" of medieval and Renaissance painting. His palette is deep and subtle, overlaid with a smoky haze of warm gold that heightens the timeless quality of the tale. While there is a certain sameness in his use of formal, arched frames on every page, he does occasionally move the action or character outside that boundary, adding an element of interest to the otherwise static composition. The text, based on an 18th-century translation of the Grimms' original, is adequate although unremarkable. All the elements of the tale are here, and the language is formal enough to match the mood of the illustrations without being stilted. Libraries with a demand for illustrated editions of traditional tales will find this a highly satisfactory addition to their folk and fairy tale collections. --Linda Boyles, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: North-South (April 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558580549
• ISBN-13: 978-1558580541
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 9.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,639,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware - Not all the same book., September 28, 2007

By 

CMH (COLUMBIA, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snow White and Rose Red (Library Binding)

Amazon has confused several different items. They have attached the "Editorial reviews" for a hardcover book of the Brothers Grimm's Snow White and Rose Red illustrated by Gennady Spirin and published by Philomel to a School & Library book illustrated by James Weren with cartoon-style illustrations and an adudio cassette, both published by Troll Associates. Other versions of this classic fairy tale with different illustrators have their own separate reviews as these completely different items should. When dealing with children's picture books, different illustrators create entirely different books. All the Spirin and Werren versions share is a title.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a review of the North-South Books version with illustrations by Bernadette Watts, April 26, 2009

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Snow White and Rose Red (Paperback)

I have to agree with a previous reviewer about the importance of mentioning the illustrators of the various versions of the same fairy tale [depending on the translator, whether it is an adaptation etc]. It makes a lot of difference to the story and also the appreciation of the work as a whole [text and illustrations].

This review is of "Snow White and Rose Red" as retold and illustrated by Bernadette Watts. The retelling is well done, making for an easy read for young readers, and in simple language [relatively short sentences, not much embellishment]. The illustrations are simply beautiful, in full-color, and bring the story alive. The illustrations cover the entire page and are intricate and detailed, enhancing the story. Young and old readers alike will delight in this story, not only for the tale itself, but also for the beautiful illustrations. A must-have for collectors and a must-read for lovers of fairy tales, young and old.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old School Story, Still Popular, March 10, 2007

By 

Kim (Portland, ME) - See all my reviews

This is a story I remembered loving as a child. It is not as politically correct as today's children's literature -- a troll displays all kinds of rude behavior and then is killed at the end by a "Bear". My girls (3 and 6) gave this book and all its elements lots of thought and it prompted considerable discussion. In the end, however, the story illustrates great love between two sisters which has made this one of my girls' favorites as well.