The Random House Book of Fairy Tales (Random House Book of ...) (Hardcover)

~ (Adapter), (Illustrator) "In a country far away there was once an emperor who loved nothing better than new clothes..." (more)
Key Phrases: robber girl, twelve princesses, empty looms, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, Marquis of Carabas (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 6 Nineteen popular traditional tales selected from the works of the Grimm brothers, Andersen, Perrault and others form the contents of this fine collection. Ehrlich drew upon many sources, listed in back but not keyed to individual tales, and her literary but not effusive retellings remain faithful, for the most part, to the common canon. (Exceptions include Hansel's holding out a knuckle to the witch rather than a chicken bone; Rapunzel's twins are missing; and the prince's mere presence rather than a kiss wakes the Sleeping Beauty in the Wood.) The soft pastel colors of Goode's pencil and watercolor illustrations give a misty, faraway quality to Once-upon-a-time, but they are too much alike and occasionally too bland to be totally effective. Still, it's a good companion volume to Prelutsky and Lobel's Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983) and a nicely packaged collection that will give pleasure to many a grateful child. Susan Hepler, formerly at Ohio State University, Columbus
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

A lush treasury of 19 fairy tales that generations of children have grown up on, lushly illustrated by Diane Goode.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 12, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394856937
• ISBN-13: 978-0394856933
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,972 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the random house book of fairy tales, February 21, 2003

By A Customer

From 35 year old mom of 6: I have read from many different fairy tale books over the years and this one is still my favorite. The reasons it is my favorite fairy tale book are: 1. It contains 19 of my favorite stories 2. Amy Ehrlich who wrote the stories, consulted several different versions, and retold them in their full splendor without dumbing the text down. 3. On every two page spread is a large detailed illustration by Diane Goode emmanating much warmth and charm.

Although the text is not dumbed down, this book still appeals to the 4-8 year old range because of the large picture to text ratio.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good stories but pictures can be a little scary, May 1, 2006

By	Katherine (Orange County, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a great collection of stories, but when I was a little girl I was very scared of some of the drawings of the villians. So, the illustrations are excellent but a very young child might find them a little...intense. Nevertheless, I still liked the book and read it often.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent compilation of tales., February 14, 2002

By	Aquaria.Info "Aquaria.Info - Aquarium Fish On... (Aquaria.Info) - See all my reviews

This is a great book for any parent. It encompasses 19 of the best known fairy tales that have been told to children for generations.

Included in the book are tales such as Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Princess and the Pea.

Each story is illustrated nicely giving your children the images they want to accompany the store.

Overall I found this to be a well made book that can be passed down from one generation to the next.