Little Brother & Little Sister (Hardcover)

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

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3?A brother and sister run away from their cruel stepmother, but before they get very far the boy drinks from an enchanted stream and is turned into a deer. The two take shelter in a cottage, and years later the deer inadvertently leads a king to the cottage, and he marries the girl. Later, the young queen's stepmother suffocates her, replacing her with her own daughter. However, the king restores the queen to life through his love and loyalty. When the stepmother is destroyed the enchantment is broken, and all live happily ever after. Bell's graceful translation is simple, straightforward, and engaging. The textured, naive illustrations complement the gentle narrative. Nearly every picture is an inviting double-page spread depicting a sunny, fairy-tale forest, complete with red-capped mushrooms on the front endpapers. The art is full of cheerful and cozy details, and both text and illustrations soften some of the story's gruesome elements. Although too long for story time, this is a pleasant and pretty choice for one-on-one sharing or independent readers.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. With echoes of "Hansel and Gretel," this is one of those gruesome Grimms' fairy tales told without any contemporary revision. The cruel stepmother drives out Little Brother and Little Sister and pursues them with ferocity. She distorts nature and transforms Little Brother into a deer. Little Sister never deserts her brother, but when she marries the king, the cruel stepmother substitutes her own ugly, one-eyed daughter for the bride. In the end, the witch and her daughter get their punishment in burning flames, and order is restored. As always, Anthea Bell's translation is direct and natural, with rhythmic pacing and unforced drama. The gentle illustrations in naive folk art style set the cruelty within an idyllic, even sweet, natural landscape, which reflects Little Sister's steadfast love and loyalty. Hazel Rochman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: North-South (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558585885
• ISBN-13: 978-1558585881
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,121,570 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pictures conceal grimness of story, March 22, 2005

By	Barbara Gordon "batgirl" (Victoria BC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of my favourite Grimm's tales, but I was disappointed in this picture-book.
Bell's version of the story is clear and straightforward, very little different from the Andrew Lang text. Watts' illustrations are attractive in a folk-art way, but too gentle and saccharine for the story, which has the usual Grimm harshness. In some pages, the artist seems to be doing her best to ignore the story, which may make for some problems in read-aloud sessions.
The wicked stepmother looks almost benevolent, and finding her lurking in the backgrounds of the first pages could be an amusing where's-the-witch game. But on the last page she is burnt to death and her daughter (who never appears in the pictures) is sent into the forest to be torn apart by wild beasts. But don't worry! The illustration is of an idyllic garden scene, so everything is safe and nice, at least on the surface.
Parents who buy this book on the basis of the charming and innocuous pictures may be in for a shock when they sit down to read the story at bedtime.

3.0 out of 5 stars Pictures conceal harshness of story, July 7, 2005

By	Barbara Gordon "batgirl" (Victoria BC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of my favourite Grimm's tales, but I was disappointed in this picture-book.
Bell's version of the story is clear and straightforward, very little different from the Andrew Lang text. Watts' illustrations are attractive in a folk-art way, but too gentle and saccharine for the story, which has the usual Grimm harshness. In some pages, the artist seems to be doing her best to ignore the story, which may make for some problems in read-aloud sessions.
The wicked stepmother looks almost benevolent, and finding her lurking in the backgrounds of the first pages could be an amusing where's-the-witch game. But on the last page she is burnt to death and her daughter (who never appears in the pictures) is sent into the forest to be torn apart by wild beasts. But don't worry! The illustration is of an idyllic garden scene, so everything is safe and nice, at least on the surface.
Parents who buy this book on the basis of the charming and innocuous pictures may be in for a shock when they sit down to read the story at bedtime.