Roy Nemerson

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would depict the actual Grimm’s Fairy Tales with the not so happy endings. Once I finished the first story, I realized that these were the same happy fairy tales I grew up listening too, which was something I enjoyed reading. Every story ended with “…and they lived happily ever after.” The happy endings may have been cliché, but are appropriate for a children’s book. Also, throughout the book there were illustrations depicting the tales. The pictures were simple, but helped the reader understand the text better by visualizing the story. I also enjoyed how under each illustration was a short caption describing which part of the story this picture was depicting. Each new story provided characters that were well developed. By the end of each story, I felt relief when everything turned out well. I think the author accomplished this by showing all sides to the plot, and every character’s feelings. Overall, the big idea of this book was to present classic fairy tales together, and this particular book did a good jib at combining different aspects to create an enjoyable book for all ages.… (mehr)

Grimm, Brothers. Great Illustrated Classic Grimm's Fairy Tales. Adapted by Roy Nemerson. New York: Baronet Books, 2008. This version is only one story within a collection of tales. It is very much like other versions of Rapunzel. When the witch find out about the prince she cuts Rapunzel's hair and banishes her to the desert. The prince loses his eyesight when he falls from the tower and he wanders the wilderness blind. This version says he becomes desperate and is about to end his life. So there are references to suicide in this version. But hearing her sing changes his mind and gives him hope. The text is amore appropriate for older children. There are black and white drawings throughout the story and the vocabulary is simple enough for ELL's to grasp. It reads like a novel. Age group: 9-11 years old.… (mehr)