The Sleeping Beauty : a fairy tale
(Book)

K-Gr 3‘Bell's translation retains the fullness of the old story, but has clear and straightforward language. As a complement to the text, Laimgruber's illustrations froth with color and detail, the charming embellishments lending new buoyancy and light to a fairy tale thick with omens and shadows, dreads and dangers. The combination is felicitous, allowing young listeners entry into a compelling, mysterious world in which the dark elements are not sacrificed, but gently tempered (just as the 12th ``wise woman'' softens the curse on the baby princess). Alongside Cooper Eden's The Three Princesses (Bantam, 1991), with its interesting pastiche of classic illustrations, and in contrast to other picture book versions‘the elegant Errol LeCain (Bradbury, 1977; o.p.), the poetic and sensuous Trina Schart Hyman (Little, 1983), the intricate and expressive Mercer Mayer (Macmillan, 1984; o.p.), all quite sophisticated‘this new one is welcome and needed. Older readers may pass judgment on Laimgruber's Beauty: she is vibrant and appealing with her red curls and rounded features, but is neither striking nor glamorous. She is, rather, a plucky ``Anne of Green Gables'' sort of princess. One is reminded of Galdone's work in this respect, a favoring of humor and vivacity over ``prettiness.'' And as for the whimsical costumes of the wise women, Ms. Frizzle would approve!‘Susan Powers, Berkeley Carroll Street School, Brooklyn (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The illustrations for this translation of the familiar tale feature a red-haired princess who sleeps in a castle that is covered with thorns. One hundred years later, the thorny barrier blooms as the prince approaches; flowers are heaped and draped over every available surface in subsequent paintings. A pleasant version for those in need of another 'Sleeping Beauty.' From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

K-Gr 3-Bell's translation retains the fullness of the old story, but has clear and straightforward language. As a complement to the text, Laimgruber's illustrations froth with color and detail, the charming embellishments lending new buoyancy and light to a fairy tale thick with omens and shadows, dreads and dangers. The combination is felicitous, allowing young listeners entry into a compelling, mysterious world in which the dark elements are not sacrificed, but gently tempered (just as the 12th ``wise woman'' softens the curse on the baby princess). Alongside Cooper Eden's The Three Princesses (Bantam, 1991), with its interesting pastiche of classic illustrations, and in contrast to other picture book versions-the elegant Errol LeCain (Bradbury, 1977; o.p.), the poetic and sensuous Trina Schart Hyman (Little, 1983), the intricate and expressive Mercer Mayer (Macmillan, 1984; o.p.), all quite sophisticated-this new one is welcome and needed. Older readers may pass judgment on Laimgruber's Beauty: she is vibrant and appealing with her red curls and rounded features, but is neither striking nor glamorous. She is, rather, a plucky ``Anne of Green Gables'' sort of princess. One is reminded of Galdone's work in this respect, a favoring of humor and vivacity over ``prettiness.'' And as for the whimsical costumes of the wise women, Ms. Frizzle would approve!-Susan Powers, Berkeley Carroll Street School, Brooklyn