Sleeping Beauty (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Christian Birmingham (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5–Geras has elaborated upon Charles Perrault's classic tale, drawing out the story with the addition of descriptive details and dialogue, while changing the plot only slightly. Birmingham's full-page, romantic illustrations have the blurred, softly textured appearance of oil pastel and paint. Many pages are adorned with vignettes done in soft pencil, and a pale blue border of vines and flowers surrounds every page of larger-than-average-size text. Although this is a lovely edition, readers who appreciate the traditional story for its straightforward narration may be put off by the abundance of conversation. Mahlon F. Craft's retelling (SeaStar, 2002), featuring oil-and-watercolor paintings by K. Y. Craft, is closer in style to Perrault's version.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. The generous trim size, title stamped in gold, and opulent cover artwork (a lovestruck prince kneeling before his enchanted maiden, as glimpsed through a hedge burgeoning with roses) may be all the convincing a fairy-tale enthusiast needs to pluck this off the shelf. Those same enthusiasts, though, may be disappointed to find that the content is richer in words than images: of the book's 64 pages, only 12 are graced with full-color illustrations, which are scattered throughout like old-fashioned color plates. Elsewhere Geras' dense, Perrault-based text--not to be confused with the author's 2001 retelling inspired by the Tchaikovsky ballet--is broken up with small, black-and-white sketches. When one gets an eyeful of Birmingham's soft, gleaming pastels, though, it's worth the wait. His interpretation of the tale is pitch-perfect, all brocaded drapery, golden embellishment, and, during the castle's 100-year sleep, picturesque decay. Though the shorter and more fully illustrated offering by Mahlon and Kinuko Craft (2002) is better for sharing with groups, this version has a place in larger folklore collections and may be particularly welcomed by children's-lit students at the university level. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Orchard; 1 edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 043958180X
• ISBN-13: 978-0439581806
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 10.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,311,506 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enchanting Sleeping Beauty in Blue, March 23, 2004

By	Heidi Anne Heiner (SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Adele Geras previously wrote a fine series for children about famous ballets, including the Sleeping Beauty ballet. Unfortunately, many reviews are being published for that title under this newer book. This review is for the book by Geras, illustrated by Christian Birmingham, and with the ISBN number of 043958180X.

If you love blue and white, this Sleeping Beauty will quickly become your favorite version ever. Birmingham uses the entire spectrum of blue for his lush and luminescent illustrations of Geras' adaptation of the well-known fairy tale. While Geras' text is excellent, Birmingham's illustrations are the true reason for owning this book. Every page glows with light and magic, providing an impact similar to Thomas Kinkade's paintings without the blatant sweetness. Even at the darkest moments of the story, the happy ending is foreshadowed with beams of light streaming into the image.

Kinuko Y. Craft most recently illustrated this tale with a rich palette of reds and earth tones. Now Birmingham has provided us with the opposite spectrum of cool blues and the sky. Both books are highly recommended; don't think that this one should be missed if you already own Craft's beautiful book. We can only hope Geras and Birmingham will produce more fairy tales with their unique vision.

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful book, May 15, 2008

By	Jeanette (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

The illustrations in this version of Sleeping Beauty are just gorgeous. They make the book very special & a treasure to keep into adulthood. If you are looking for a special gift for a young child this book would be perfect.