Product Description

A diverse treasury of familiar stories, fairy tales, and fables are culled from the collections of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Aesop, and features illustrations by the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Reprint.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #671017 in Books
• Published on: 1995-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

From Publishers Weekly
This volume contains reprints from three of Carle's previous books. But in collapsing the longer tales, some of the original focus of the stories is blurred. Even in works as brief as Aesop's fables, the pacing is flat. But that is a small flaw compared to the artist's visual triumphs. The blended collage and paint pictures gleam with color and beauty, reflecting accurately the motif of each story. For example, there is dramatic tension in Andersen's "The Wild Swans" and other cliff-hangers and knee-slapping comedy in the Grimms' "The Seven Swabians." Signs of Carle's ingenuity adorn every page. Ages 4-9.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 4 A handsome compilation of 22 stories selected from the previ ously published Twelve Tales From Aesop (Philomel, 1980; o.p.), Seven Stories from Hans Christian Andersen (Watts, 1978; o.p.), and Eric Carle's Storybook: Seven Stories from the Brothers Grimm (Watts, 1976; o.p.). The result is a varied selection ranging from familiar tales such as Tom Thumb and The Rabbit and the Turtle to more obscure stories including The Seven Swabians and The Winners. Ar rangement is well balanced, with the short fables interspersed among the longer stories of Andersen and Grimm. Stories appear virtually verba tim from the first editions with con cise, spirited language in keeping with the nature of the tales. Carle has pared down the original versions, sometimes at the expense of the irony and humor; this is most notably absent in the selections from Andersen. He has also invented some plot twists to make the tales more logical in their shortened form. The 11 fables from Aesop are presented with no ultimate ly stated morals but retain their teach ing spirit, although the message of The Grasshopper and the Ants has been completely reversed. Carle's distinc tive style of bright watercolor and col lage illustration provides an excellent complement to the lively text. Most of the art from the original volumes has been reproduced, supplemented with some new illustrations. The reproduc tions have been toned down slightly from the more garish originals, result ing in improved color and clarity. An adequate choice for those mid-range readers who are too old for nursery story collections yet too young for the original full-length tales. Starr La Tronica, North Berkeley Library, Calif.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

thought this was terrible, do not recommend
I bought this book to continue teaching little Japanese children (4-7) partly brought up in the states classic western children stories, but then realised that the stories had all been shortened- some to a point they were not understandable. I thought a lot of the messages the original writers were trying to portray were lost, and the children found the pictures scary. There were a lot of stories I had not heard of, and very few of the ones I would have called classics.

I just want to warn that the pictures are fairly dark and gloomy and that the stories have been adapted and shortened a lot in some cases. Most stories only have one picture of a single scene and are very heavy on words, whereas children tend to find it much easier to follow if there are more pictures.

Charming!
This book is simply a pleasure to read. Carle illustrates in a style all his own. If you like his work you will not want to be without this charming collection of 22 classic tales told in a fun, conversational stlye. Five stars.

Art gives new slant to old tales
Although I prefer realistic illustrations the artisty of Eric Carle is fun to look at and the bold, splashy colors of his tissue-paper collages get the attention of children. The book contained a good mix of fairy tales from Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm, as well as some of Aesop's Fables. The book had some tales that I had never heard such as The Marsh King's Daughter and The Traveling Companion, and the rendition of The Wild Swans is one of the best I have read. My favorite illustration was of the horse in Tom Thumb.