Editorial Review

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?" repeatedly asks the Queen, Snow White's stepmother. She always gets the answer she wants, until Snow White turns seven, and the mirror must truthfully answer, "Snow White." At the news, the Queen turns yellow and green with envy and commands the huntsman to kill Snow White and bring her "lung and liver as a token." Thus begins another enchanting fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm!Read more

Reviews (7)

The scariest Snow-White you've ever read---NOT a Disney version!
If you like your fairy tales totally authentic and not Disney-sized, you will love this one!It's Snow-White with all the scary parts left in--the wicked stepmother asking for the liver and lungs of the dead Snow-White, the prince falling in love with a dead body---it would have been a little much for my sons had they not been 8 and 11 at first reading!As it was, they liked this a lot---perhaps because I don't let them watch horror movies and this is as close as they get!
Beautiful
This book is very nice -- large format and beautiful illustrations -- and a great value.

A Powerful and Compellingly illustrated Snow White
This book was one of my favorite's at our school's library when I was younger.This is far from Disney's version.The illustrations are breath-taking and moody at times, yet they embrace the simple essence of the story.The text is perfect for reading aloud but the pictures deserve many glances.The details in the illustrations are something to behold.Children will enjoy this version but also anyone on the college level interested in fantasy literature and illustration.Bottom Line: A simple yet elegant edition worthy of having a place on your bookshelf. A+ ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Classics    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore    6. Germany    7. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Reviews (5)

Ravishingly beautiful.
I found a copy of this version of Snow White in the school library in Japan where I was teaching, and took it home to read to my boys.Later, I photographed the pages and showed slides to my Japanese students, using these illustrations to explain the surface, psychological, and spiritual meaning of the Grimm's stories.Of Grimm illustrators, I think Hyman is best, and while her illustrations of Rapunsel, Living Water, etc, are wonderful, this is her most inspired work.
A nice twist to the fairy tale
This is the well-known story of a princess whose evil stepmother tries to have her killed. The huntsmen could not go through with it and tells Snow White to run away. When she does she finds herself in the company of seven small men.They live in a house very happily until the queen finds that Snow White is not dead.She finds Snow White and tricks her into eating a poisoned apple. Snow White dies. She is awoken from her death by the kiss of a prince and they live happily ever after. Snow White
Parents looking for a good edition of "Snow White" need look no further than this one by Paul Heins and Trina Schart Hyman. One day a beautiful, yet proud and arrogant, queen stands before her magic mirror and asks: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is most beautiful in the land?" Instead of replying as usual that she is the beautifulest, the mirror informs the queen that her stepdaughter, Snow White, has now surpassed her in beauty. Driven by envy and anger, the queen orders a hunter to take the girl into the woods to be killed. He decides to spare her life and presents the liver and lungs of a boar to the queen instead of Snow White's. Meanwhile Snow White takes shelter in the house of the seven dwarfs. The scene when the dwarfs return home is reminiscent of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" with the dwarfs asking "Who has taken some of my bread?", "Who has been using my little fork?", and discovering the girl asleep in one of the beds. They allow her to stay. When the queen discovers Snow White is still alive, she tries to get rid of her in a variety of ways: bodice laces that cut one's breath, a poisoned comb and finally a poisoned apple. The fairy tale obviously has a happy ending. There are two scenes in the tale that parents or children might find disturbing. One is when the queen cooks and eats the liver and lungs, thinking they are Snow White's. Second, at the end, when the wicked queen is made to dance in red hot shoes until she falls dead. Other than that the story is well told and the illustrations are magnificent---detailed with rich and vivid colors. I especially liked the one where the queen, disguised as a peddler, is tying Snow White's bodice laces. A wonderul story to add to your child's collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Classics    5. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    6. Fairy tales    7. Folklore    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages - Literature    2. Children's Audio - 4-8    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Anthologies    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Children's Audio / 4/8    7. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Anthologies   

Reviews (13)

A Must Read
This is a must read for any little princess (or prince) This classical story will never grow old or boring my kids love it as do I!!

Snow White Enforces Dysfunctional Relationships
Snow White has NO character in the book but manages to marry a man who also has NO character. It portrays women as either perfect (Snow White) or entirely evil (Wicked Step-Mother). It contradicts it's own message in that the wicked step-mother's quest for beauty makes her evil but Snow White lands prince charming because of her remarkable beauty. It's not a good thing to fill impressionable children's minds with in my oppinion. I'll be writting an alternative version of most disney books and presenting it to them. Keep an eye out.

A GREAT STORY
I LOVE THIS BOOK IM NOT A LITTLE GIRL ANYMORE BUT I STILL ENJOY READING THIS STORY IF YOU HAVE LITTLE KIDS YOU SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK IM SURE THEY'LL LOVE IT ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    5. Fairy tales    6. Folklore    7. Germany    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Movie Tie - In    10. Preschool Picture Story Books    11. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Reviews (1)

Multiple learning book has space reserved on any shelf
Happening across this book by chance, I was entranced by the image projected from the cover, and hoped more filled the pages.This story, whether or not a remake of a classic, holds it's own as a historic impression of 1920's New York, and a marvelous graphic lesson in Art Deco for all children, and indeed everyone short of the privelage of experiencing the era first-person.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Babies & Toddlers    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    5. Fairy tales    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title    8. Literature/English | American Literature   

Subjects:  1. Children's Baby/Preschool    2. Children: Preschool    3. Fairy tales    4. Folklore    5. General    6. Sound effects books    7. Specimens    8. Classic fiction   

Reviews (2)

Have not had a chance yet to see how my grandson actually does with it
I had purchased the photo children's book of Klondike and Snow from the Denver Zoo for my grandson 3or 4 years ago, after I was told he showed an interest in polar bears and I had bought him a stuffed polar bear(from Amazon.com I think). Jake is now 6 and still has 'Polee', the(15"?)stuffed polar bear, who has spent many a night in Jake's bed. I was a math major and computer programmer and so have always loved math.I think this book may be too advanced for him at this time, but I feel when he is ready, this has to be the BEST possible presenter of this info to Jake.I was very impressed with the sample pages I saw from the book. I'm going up to Seattle this weekend to see him and hope to check out how he likes it.. and get back to you!

Fantastic New Teaching Tool
One early morning, a polar bear gives birth to two little polar bear cubs at the Denver Zoo. The two babies, later named Klondike and Snow, are both cold and weak, and poor little Klondike has a cut on his head. The Mother soon abandons both babies, leaving the zoo staff to raise the cubs on their own. However, it is not as easy as it looks, for the staff are confused about many things, such as what foods will give them the nutrients they need, and how much they should eat. However, once learned, the staff quickly turn the cubs into healthy young bears who swim and play on their own. Now it's your turn, for you are going to learn fractions as you follow the zoo's staff on their quest to raise Klondike and Snow from cubs to full-grown bears.
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Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Animals - Bears    3. Bears    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. Fractions    7. Juvenile Mathematics    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Mathematics - Fractions    11. Polar bear    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Mathematics / Fractions   

Reviews (1)

The original is so much better than Disney
I bought this book specifically to show my daughter that there is a world beyond the Wonderful World of Disney.While Walt used the story of Snow White to make an interesting and entertaining movie, the original story is so much better.We already own Charles Santore's version of The Wizard of Oz, so I was excited to find his (absolutely) beautiful illustrations incorporated into this original telling of Snow White.While the story could be scary to young children - Snow White is a child after all - the wording has been neutered enough to downplay the fact that a deranged woman is trying to kill a 7 year old child.My daughter, who is old enough to understand that a story is just a story, was absolutely fascinated with all the ways that the Disney version deviated from the original Brothers Grimm version.Santore's illustrations drove the point home for her.She just looks at them - mesmerized.Snow White and the Wizard of Oz (also illustrated by Charles Santore) are "must haves" for any library collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Literature / Classics    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Fairy Tales & Folklore - European    6. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    7. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    8. Fairy tales    9. Folklore    10. Germany    11. Juvenile Fiction    12. Royalty (kingsqueensprincesprincessesknightsetc.)    13. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (5)

dreamy somber illustrations & haunting story
SO many things to love about this book, this version of Snow White. It's not sanitized, the binding on the inside is a two page spread of a glossy ebony tree, against spellbinding white snow and one stain of red blood - every single image is exquisite, I could describe them all poetically.
Snow White by Josephine Poole & Angela Barrett--SUPERB!
The cover image stopped me in my tracks at the bookstore, and I bought multiple copies.The young woman at the checkout counter was mesmerized by the image as well.The illustrations inside equal or surpass the one on the cover. Poole & Barrett edition of Snow White
Wonderful illustrations, of course, but also the story includes the incidents with the poisoned comb and the suffocating bodice ribbons (left out in many editions). A great book for parents looking to replace the Disney-fied version for their children.
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Subjects:  1. Children: Preschool    2. Fairy tales    3. Folklore    4. Germany    5. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Reviews (1)

Snow White by Don Williams
-Good book. Very original. I loved all 7 dwarfs. An emotional children book. Recommend for first readers, especially young girls. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Baby - Literature    2. Children's Books/Baby-Preschool    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Classics    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Movie Tie - In    7. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/All Ages    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Royalty (kingsqueensprincesprincessesknightsetc.)    6. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Reviews (2)

Santore's illustrations were beautiful
Charles Santore's illustrations were beautiful.He portrayed the moods and feelings of the subjects very well indeed.We appreciated that he gave human faces to the subjects rather than the animated cartoons of Disney. I never could understand from the Disney pictures why the stepmother was sobeautiful or how Snow White was deceived by such an evil looking hag. Santore's illustrations make the story believable on this score.Santorealso "aged" Snow White in each consecutive picture of when shewas "dead" for "many years" - thus making it crediblethat she was a young woman when she awoke. We also preferred the simplicityof the original story over the Disney version. We enjoyed this book and our2.5 year old really likes it too.

Beautifully illustrated.
The illustrations in this book are breathtaking.The story is familiar, but with little twists and turns away from the Disney version, but it's the amazing artistry of the illustrations that makes this a wonderful book to own. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    3. Fairy tales    4. Folklore    5. Germany    6. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    7. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (6)

The first children's book to mention mustard plaster
I think I shall begin this review by saying something sacrilegious.It'll capture your attention and allow me to get something off my chest.I've noticed that if you tell children's literature professionals that you think it would be a good idea to take old picture books and liven them up with brand new illustrations by contemporary illustrators, they look at you like you've just suggested burning the collected works of Dr. Seuss.Which is to say, they look at you like you're insane.This isn't to say this practice isn't done from time to time.For example, illustrator David McPhail (for reasons I don't even want to contemplate) thought it might be a good idea to reillustrate Beatrix Potter's, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit".Usually, I think re-illustrating old classics is a bad idea.By and large, it's a dangerous practice that should be avoided.Then I read "White Snow, Bright Snow".This is a Caldecott winning book that is a fabulous read.I've rarely read a picture book that so beautifully captures the feeling you get when the world is first blanketed in a thick covering of fluffy white snow.Author Alvin Tresselt's words are some of the most beautiful you'll read, which makes it that much more of a pity that the illustrator on this book was Roger Duvoisin.I know many of you remember this book from your youth and I know many more would beat me with sticks for suggesting anything at all be changed about this wonderful tale.But honestly, let's look at it again in a clear light.I can't help but think new illustrations would suit this puppy perfectly.
A Winter Wonderland from a Bygone Era
This classic book published in 1947 wraps me in a soft fuzzy blanket of nostalgia and makes me crave the good ol' days of clean white snow and sledding, rubber boots and all the neighborhood children playing together in the huge drifts.It takes me back to being snowed-in, warm fire in the fireplace, hot cocoa and the Postman whose name I knew bringing armloads of Christmas cards. The world depicted in this book does not include the sound of a snow-blower or a snow-mobile.It does not have Doppler radar to let me know it's going to snow. In this book we rely upon the ache in a woman's big toe and the fact that a farmer says it smells like snow. The rabbits know it and the kids search the grey sky waiting for the first snowflakes.This book takes us from those first feathery flakes through a really deep snowfall.We're there as the townspeople shovel themselves out. We're there as the grown-ups contend with the winter snow and the children revel in it. Eventually Spring comes and is greeted with as much gladness as the first snowflakes. The simple four color watercolor illustrations are just wonderful and made me yearn for the days when we didn't hurry from climate controlled houses to climate controlled cars to shopping malls with trees and fountains, for the days when we were on speaking terms with the weather.The writing in this book is so lyrical and gentle that it makes a perfect bedtime story and it is sure to warm the heart of the adult who's doing the reading. For example, "Then without a sound, just when everybody was asleep, the snow stopped, and bright stars filled the night. In the morning a clear blue sky was overhead and blue shadows hid in all the corners."Share this one.

Suburban Perspective on Life in 1947
Snow is the center of this book.Mr. Tresselt develops how snow is anticipated, experienced, and dealt with by a postman, farmer, policeman, the policeman's wife, rabbits, and children.The book is noteworthy for its social perspectives from 1947 more than for the story.As a Caldecott Medal winner, the high point of the book comes in the Day-Glo yellow, orange, and green images that burst from the white and grey world of winter.Mr. Roger Duvoisin has created a most unusual mix of nostalgia and modernism in these images that evoke a Stuart Davis type of feeling.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Snow    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

Childhood Memories
I remember reading this story over and over in elementary school.It was a favorite for everyone in my class and would create fights over who got to borrow it from the classroom.One of my fondest memories of 2nd grade wasperforming a play of this story. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    5. Fairy tales    6. Folklore    7. Germany    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Fairy tales, folk tales, fables, magical tales & traditional stories    10. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

It's the Holiday Spirit That Counts
Christmas is coming to the Big Blue House, but it seems like the minds of our friends Tutter, Ojo, Treelo and Pip and Pop just aren't on the holidays. They keep stealing glances out the window and are kinda sad because it's dry and windy outside and there's no snow.
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Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Children's 4-8    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Preschool    5. Christmas    6. Fiction    7. Holidays & Celebrations - Christmas    8. Holidays & Festivals - Christmas    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Movie Tie - In    11. Snow    12. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore    6. Germany    7. Juvenile Folk Tales / Mythology / Fables    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

entertaining and instructive
Dr. Alvin Granowsky has written a number of fairy tale-revisionist combination stories, and this pair is a fine example of what the genre has to offer.Both tales are illustrated with line drawings and each is well told, combining the best principles of language building, such as a better-than-average vocabulary and a mix of sentence lengths, without sacrificing an evocative and plausible narrative flow.The revisionist story is told by the stepmother, who contends that Snow White has resented her since her arriva; Snow White has convinced other people that her stepmother is trying to kill her.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    3. Fairy tales    4. Folklore    5. Germany    6. Specimens    7. Upside-down books   

Reviews (2)

A witty and welcome surprise!
I picked this book up for my 8 month old the other day.As a "Bookie Monster" (i.e. "One who passionately devours anything with a cover and pages!") and children's writer, I tend to be choosy over the books I purchase for my daughter; I will spend hours in bookstores previewing potential books and picking them apart: "How on earth does drivel like this get the greenlighted by an editor?I've found four words spelled wrong on the first three pages!"
What a fun idea!!
My 8 year old daughter and I loved this book!We laughed and had a special time reading it to eachother.It was fun to see Snow White a bit more modern and the last picture in her story is a hoot! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages - Fiction - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    5. General    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Movie Tie - In    8. Juvenile Fiction / Movie or Television Tie-In   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    4. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Reviews (1)

A Good "Not-So-Scary" Snow White Story
My 3-year old daughter was thrilled with this book!She loves Snow White, but didn't like the original story at all (because of the "mean old witch" as she called her).If you don't like the violence of the original Snow White story, or if your child is scared of the witch, this is a very cute alternative. It's become a bedtime favorite at our house! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fiction    5. Girls & Women    6. House cleaning    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Movie Tie - In    9. Princesses    10. Secrets    11. Social Issues - Friendship    12. Social Situations - Friendship    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Friendship