As a book reviewer, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.
I love fairy tales. I grew up reading them, and my mom still has my Mother Goose collection. Remember that big book with the black and white checked background? As I grew older, I created my own fairy tale collection, so when I had the chance to read Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version by Philip Pullman, I jumped at it.
Fairy tales are popular right now. Movie adaptations and popular TV series like Once Upon a Time feature reinvented fairy tales.
Philip Pullman’s Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm does the opposite. Instead of taking the fairy tales as we know them today and expanding from there. Instead, he goes back to the basics, recreating the original, bare bones tales as best he could from texts, adding only details needed to make the stories flow better – many of which needed no such assistance.
The fairy tales include many that I’d never heard before. While they include classics like “Cinderella” and “Rapunzel” and “Hansel and Gretel,” there were plenty of others from “The Three Snake Leaves” to “The Donkey Cabbage” to “The Singing Bone” that were brand new to me. It was a nice mixture, and the commentary from Pullman – usually just a few paragraphs at most – left me feeling as though I’d learned something more than just a quick dip into childhood fairy tales.
The fairy tales are never repeated, though Pullman explains that they take many forms in many cultures, in addition to the multiple versions he waded through not just in German but in the Grimm Brothers’ various publications of their fairy tales over a 40 year period. I would love to see another collection that contained four or five fairy tales with five or ten of the best variations on the theme done in a similar manner. Perhaps this could be Pullman’s next project.
For the most part, the ones in this book follow the typical fairy tale formula of a generic character – a prince or a merchant or a brother instead of a name – who is simply but fully developed without much description through fast paced action. They aren’t fables, and they haven’t been prettied up to suit our modern tastes for a happy ending. There are be-headings, plenty of villains punished by being rolled in a barrel with studded nails, and heads cut off all manner of people and beasts.
And the book is entertaining. The stories are a quick read, and they are cute. They aren’t deep by any means, but they aren’t meant to be. And while this is a book of fairy tales, I certainly wouldn’t simply hand it to Mister Man. Some of the stories aren’t aimed for today’s children. That said, there are some stories in here that I’d love to read to the wee ones at bedtime.
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Michelle only wishes her life were as simple as a fairy tale, where she could find the magic leaf that would clean the house instantly or provide her with a gold coin under her pillow each night. Instead she lives the more typical life of a mortal instead of a fairy tale character. See what her life has dealt her on her blog Honest & Truly! or follow her on Twitter where she tweets as @HonestAndTruly.
I would love to check out Hansel and Gretel.It has always been a favorite of mine
i would love to check out rapunzel and hansel and gretel
Well i will give to some child at church. Thre princess fairy dales like rapunzel and snow white but my 46 yr old son love this movie so id give to him.
THE ONES I HAVE NOT HEARD OF YET.
Rapunzel, I think.
I’d like to read the Hansel & Gretel story
I’ve likes Hansel AND GRETEL
Hansel and Gretel
I read a collection of the original Grimm tales in a pretty bare-bones translation not too long ago, so I’m super interested in this one. The Match Girl has always struck me… no pun… as a super-creepy story, so I hope it’s in here!
I would love to see what he has done with Hansel and Gretel.
For my grandkids-Rapunzel.
love the brothers grimm! would be a great win!
I always liked Little Red Riding Hood
I think the Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version would be great. I would love to read some of the new stories like “The Fisherman and his Wife”.
I am looking forward to reading the new fairy tales since I know the old ones!
I am interested in Hansel and Gretel!
If you pick me, just go ahead and pick someone else.
Got the book at the library. Enjoyed it, but don’t need my own copy.
Thanks.
Another vote for Hansel & Gretel
I love the Cinderella.
I am excited for Hansel and Gretel.
Hansel and Gretel
Not sure what it says about me, but I’ve always been a fan of Hansel and Gretel.
Thanks
The Singing Bone is the one I want to check out.
Cinderella would be my choice
I think “The Three Snake Leaves†sounds interesting.
I love Rapunzel!!
i am interested in The Singing Bone.
I hope Beauty and the Beast is in this collection. It’s one of my favorites.
I’m thinking Hansel and Gretel.
“The Girl with No Handsâ€
The Donkey Cabbage sounds interesting…
I would like to check out The Singing Bone
“The Three Snake Leaves” intrigues me!
I’m definitely interested in checking out all of the classics I am familiar with, especially Hansel and Gretel. The others are probably just as good.
Hansel and Gretel!
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
I would like to check out “The Singing Bone.”
I am interested in Hansel and Gretel. We will be going to Germany next year so this would be a great story to refamiliarize myself with.
the donkey cabbage! what a brilliant name!
Cinderella for sure, thank you
I’m interested in all of the titles mentioned, to be honest. Though I guess I would flip to the Donkey Cabbage just because of how odd and different it sounds.
Reading a fairy tale you’ve never read before lets you experience a little more magic than re-reading one from long ago. At least, that’s what I think. I love Pullman’s work and the Brothers’ Grimm renditions of fairy tales have also been a very interesting topic to me.
I recently got a collection of fantasy short stories, many of them with a fairy tale vibe, called ‘unnatural Creatures’ – a variety of authors picked out by Mr. Neil Gaiman. If anyone’s out for other fantastic stories, I’d suggest picking that up. I myself am almost through with it and this would be a nice one to follow up with.
The classic Rapunzel.
I have always loved Hansel & Gretel, Rapunzel & Cinderella. This would be an awesome thing to give to my future children. 🙂
I love fairy tales, so it would be difficult to pick one. But I guess Rumplestiltskin has always tickled my fancy.
I have always liked Hansel and Gretel
i don’t know why but i’ve always loved the story of rapanzel
I always like Hansel and Gretel
snow white is my favorite one
The Brave Little Tailor
snow white was always one of my fav.s
The Singing Bone & Rapunzel.
I’m interested in the ones you’ve mentioned that I’ve never heard of!
I’m excited to check out all of the tales re-created by Pullman. He’s a master.
Hansel y Gretel.
hansel and gretel
hansel and gretel
Little Red Riding Hood!
The singing bong
the donkey cabbage sounds good.
The Donkey Cabbage – never heard of this one.
Thanks for the contest.
Hansel and Gretel.
I am interested in checking out Hansel and Gretel.
I’d love to check out the fairy tales I haven’t heard of before now!
The Donkey Cabbage sounds interesting!
I am interested in checking out Rapunzel.
The Girl with No Hands sounds interesting.
Cinderella. This book sounds so great! Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m not familiar with the Donkey Cabbage, so that one sounds interesting! Cinderella’s always been one of my favorites as well, though I’m sure this book has the version with a rather gruesome fate for the stepsisters.
always liked cinderella
hansel and gretel
I am most interested in reading the more unknown fairy tales. Something I haven’t heard of yet!
I would like to check out The Singing Bone.
The Singing Bone!
For my granddaughters, Snow White
The Singing Bone!
Thanks, Cindi
I’m looking forward to seeing this take on “The Singing Bone”
I’ve always liked The Donkey Cabbages; I’d love to read a reconstruction of the original!
Three Snake Leaves sounds interesting…
I would like to check out “The Singing Bone”. I have never heard of it before. Thank you.
Either The Three Feathers or The Four Accomplished Brothers
I’m interested in Cinderella.
I’m interested in checking out “Rapunzel”