This is yet another illustrated children's book that drew me in and caused me to marvel at the stunning beauty of the illustrations.
Inspired by a 16th century children's game, the author and illustrator fashioned an incredible story book.
When seven children, each named for the days of the week, are left alone while their mother goes to market, they are cautioned not to let anyone inside and not to touch the fire.
Soon, the very two things they were told not to do, become the unraveling of their life as an old witch, who lost a leg, begs for entry and a light for her pipe.
For a sack of gold, the witch is allowed entry.
As the children dance with burning sticks of fire, Heckedy Peg changed the children into food, gathered them up and took them deep into the forest.
When the mother returned from market, a blackbird told her what he witnessed and pointed the way into the forest.
As Heckedy prepares to eat Tuesday, mama rescues the day playing the witches game of requesting her to identify the child with the food item it became.
Successful, the children were transformed back into human form. Chasing the evil witch throughout into the town and onto the bridge, Heckedy Peg jumps and is never seen again.
Highly recommended. Interestingly, the Muter Museum in Philadelphia, PA, in May, had an exhibit wherein the focus was fairy tales and cannibalism. Hanzel and Gretel is but one example of this barbaric deed thwarted by the children, thus making the evil witch unsuccessful.
In this book, the mother's resourcefulness saves the children from death of being eaten.
cannibalism