The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Everyman's Library Children's Classics) (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mayer offers a lavishly illustrated prose retelling of the legend of the Pied Piper, who rid Hamelin of its rats only to lure away its children as well when denied a promised payment. The medieval details in the pictures make this Hamelin a grim, menacing town indeed, rendered so not only by the profusion of truly ferocious, red-eyed rats but also by the grotesque cast of the human characters. Mayer has chosen to emphasize the mayor's perfidy: he is seen as a pig-like, shifty politician from the start, further blackening the mood. This is strong stuff, best suited for older children. The text is haunting and evocative, but is considerably darker than the best-known version of the legend, Browning's brisk, lively verses. In fact, younger audiences may be more comfortable with the picture-book versions of Browning's poem, whose sprightliness helps mitigate the horrific aspects of the tale, or with Tony Ross's lighthearted adaptation. All ages.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up There is much to praise in this retelling of Browning's classic poem. The book is a small masterpiece of design, from the rat-interlaced vines on the endpapers to the fine quality of the paper. Verses are set off with calligraphy letters and delicate pen-and-ink designs which highlight the maroon of the cover. The detailed black-and-white illustrations evoke the despair and delight of the citizens of Hamelin more successfully than Kate Greenaway's classic illustrations, using touches of humor and action. Small has included a six-page introduction which provides some historical background for the legend and a brief rationale for his changes in the text (namely, that the poem is no longer understandable). The book jacket describes these as "slight" modifications; however in a number of places, including the first verse, changes are so major that Browning's words are completely lost. On a number of occasions words are altered when their meanings are understandable in the original text ("ever" is changed to "always" or "gowns lined with ermine" is changed to "fine gowns of ermine," for example). Small's retelling of the legend is clear; his verse is often sprightly and less cumbersome than Browning's. Those who prefer Browning's poem in the original should select the edition illustrated by Anatoly Ivanov (Lothrop, 1986). Because of the beautiful design of this book, librarians might offer it to young readers along with Ivanov's or Greenaway's versions so that they can do their own comparisons of the merits of illustrations and text. Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 104 pages
• Publisher: Everyman's Library (November 2, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679428127
• ISBN-13: 978-0679428121
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #675,666 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A small treasure!!, July 6, 1998

By A Customer

BUY THIS BOOK!! They hardly ever make them like this anymore! Just the type of book you remember from your childhood. Beautiful cover, layout, and illustrations. The poem is lyrical and mysterious, appropriate for all ages. A small jewel.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bit about the history of this book . . ., December 18, 2005

By	kaream - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pied Piper of Hamelin in Full Color (Paperback)

"Rats!
They fought the dogs, and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats,
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats."

Robert Browning (1812-1889) first published his poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin, A Child's Story" in 1842, based on an old German legend which may or may not have had some basis in historical fact. Browning was a serious poet; even in a poem filled with playful rhymes written specifically for children, he did not "dumb down" his language, but expected his readers to do a little work in understanding some of his "big words."

Kate Greenaway (1846-1901) was one of the most famous and popular illustrators of children's literature in the latter part of the 19th Century. She had grown up loving Browning's poem, and shortly before his death she requested and received his permission to republish it accompanied by her own illustrations. This edition was initially published in 1888 under the imprint of George Routledge & Sons, which was at that same time in the process of splitting between Routledge and Frederick Warne. Starting in 1889 all subsequent editions carried the Warne imprint. The book continued to be popular, and Frederick Warne has issued reprints from time to time, well into the late 20th Century. This Warne edition is not in print at present, but used copies with various reprint dates are available from Amazon Marketplace sellers.

However, two different reprint editions are currently available, each with the complete original text and illustrations, and each presented with loving care from an eminently respectable publisher, in well-made but modestly priced editions. The Dover reprint (ISBN 0486296199) is full-size, in a sturdy paperback; the Alfred A Knopf/Borzoi/Everyman's Library reprint (ISBN 0679428127) is part of their Children's Classics series, in a very sturdily constructed hardcover with sewn sections that will not crack with use, but the page size is somewhat smaller. Both are beautiful books, and either is an excellent value.

As noted in the Editorial Reviews above, there have been other editions of "The Pied Piper," with different illustrations, and at least one seems to have been issued with the poem itself "retold" to make the language simpler; neither of those reviews is discussing this original version. Some readers may prefer one or another of these different versions. But anyone wanting to stick with Browning's original full text and Greenaway's original charming, muted and subtle illustrations should choose between the Dover or the Everyman's, or visit Amazon's Marketplace sellers to look for a copy of the Frederick Warne.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Share the Magic, June 14, 2001

By	Susie Stephens (Lebanon, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This book would be a wonderful treasure for the pictures alone. Kate Greenaway, noted children's illustrator, has created a magical world of beautiful children, innocent faces, and romantic, nostalgic costumes. The colors on these pages are breathtaking, and the details (although Greenaway is always faulted for not drawing hands and feet well) are superb. This story is not for very young children, as it contains some troublesome themes. For the older child, perhaps 7+, the story might provoke some interesting post-read family discussions about honesty, trust, and the actual state of the children at the end of the tale. This is even a beautiful book to give to adults, as the messages about human nature can be appreciated on a deeper level.