Rapunzel : based on The Brothers Grimm tale
(Book)

The high point of this otherwise sluggish addition to the Classic Fairy Tales series is Lavreys's spare, subtly textured folk art. Her sunlit paintings use recurring celestial motifs: the night sky, the witch's cap, and Rapunzel's tower are all adorned with stars; Rapunzel's skirt features crescent moons; and a smiling sun looks on in several scenes (when the witch climbs up Rapunzel's hair, the sun's quizzical expression seems to say, "Really?"). Translated from the Dutch by the publisher, the narrative is somewhat dense and wooden, never doing much more than relating plot points. Describing the heroine's reaction to the prince, it reads, "She thought he was not only very handsome and brave, but also very sweet. That's why she gladly agreed when he proposed marriage to her." Lavreys's artwork brightens the story's dark moments-neither the witch nor the prince's fall from the tower are even slightly frightening, sapping much of the dramatic tension from the story-so Rapunzel's reunion with the prince and the "happily ever after" ending are never in question. Ages 3-5. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

K-Gr 3-A rather dull rendition of the familiar classic. The story is simply laid out and follows the original rather closely. The textured paintings are soft and simple and have difficulty conveying the inherent violence of this traditional fairy tale. The witch, with a conical star-covered wizard hat, is never threatening and with her long pointed toes, seems silly. The wooden text does little to enliven the story. This straightforward version will familiarize children with the story but will do little to excite them.-Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The high point of this otherwise sluggish addition to the Classic Fairy Tales series is Lavreys's spare, subtly textured folk art. Her sunlit paintings use recurring celestial motifs: the night sky, the witch's cap, and Rapunzel's tower are all adorned with stars; Rapunzel's skirt features crescent moons; and a smiling sun looks on in several scenes (when the witch climbs up Rapunzel's hair, the sun's quizzical expression seems to say, "Really?"). Translated from the Dutch by the publisher, the narrative is somewhat dense and wooden, never doing much more than relating plot points. Describing the heroine's reaction to the prince, it reads, "She thought he was not only very handsome and brave, but also very sweet. That's why she gladly agreed when he proposed marriage to her." Lavreys's artwork brightens the story's dark moments--neither the witch nor the prince's fall from the tower are even slightly frightening, sapping much of the dramatic tension from the story--so Rapunzel's reunion with the prince and the "happily ever after" ending are never in question. Ages 3–5. (Oct.)

K-Gr 3—A rather dull rendition of the familiar classic. The story is simply laid out and follows the original rather closely. The textured paintings are soft and simple and have difficulty conveying the inherent violence of this traditional fairy tale. The witch, with a conical star-covered wizard hat, is never threatening and with her long pointed toes, seems silly. The wooden text does little to enliven the story. This straightforward version will familiarize children with the story but will do little to excite them.—Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT