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Mother Holly
After Rose's accidental journey down a well into the land of Mother Holly, she emerges with a gown of gold for her good deeds and kindness, but when her greedy sister Blanche jumps down to see what she can get, she is quickly punished for her selfish and rude behavior.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1812
65 people want to read
About the author
John Warren Stewig
36 books5 followersProfessor of Curriculum at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mr. Stewig lives in Glendale, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 15, 2015
The author begins, oddly, with a note praising previous adapters for not making significant changes to their versions -- and then proceeds to announce changes! If I read the original (probably did) as a child I don't remember the details so I'm not sure what the changes were.
The base plot is a pretty standard good-and-pretty-daughter vs spoiled-lazy-daughter. The mean stepmother makes the good daughter do all the work, taking every opportunity to punish her. When the daughter tries to wash her spindle in the well (dummy) and drops it (klutz) she can't think of any way to get it back except to jump in after it (not a problem solver, this one). She finds herself in an odd and beautiful land where everything talks and eventually comes to the home of frightening but fair Mother Holly, who puts her to work. She does well and eventually is sent home with a reward of gold. Her stepmother, wanting more money for her own daughter, makes the useless girl go down the well. She is rude and does all her chores poorly, so she is sent home with thorns all over her body and everyone in town ostracizes her and her mother. In a less standard plot development, the nice sister is sorry for her and takes her back to the magical country, where she teaches her how to clean and garden properly, and as she works the thorns fall out. The stepsister and stepmother try not to backslide because they don't want more misfortune.
It isn't mentioned in this book, but some commentaries on this legend associate Mother Holly with Freya, who is associated with both hollies and cats (many cats are shown in the illustrations of Mother Holly's home). I'm not sure where her huge, fierce teeth come from, but it was nice to see an unattractive character who wasn't evil.
The illustrations are excellent. There is a huge amount of detail which I think would help hold the attention of younger kids throughout the text. I imagine kids would especially like searching for all the kittens and other baby animals scattered about.
The base plot is a pretty standard good-and-pretty-daughter vs spoiled-lazy-daughter. The mean stepmother makes the good daughter do all the work, taking every opportunity to punish her. When the daughter tries to wash her spindle in the well (dummy) and drops it (klutz) she can't think of any way to get it back except to jump in after it (not a problem solver, this one). She finds herself in an odd and beautiful land where everything talks and eventually comes to the home of frightening but fair Mother Holly, who puts her to work. She does well and eventually is sent home with a reward of gold. Her stepmother, wanting more money for her own daughter, makes the useless girl go down the well. She is rude and does all her chores poorly, so she is sent home with thorns all over her body and everyone in town ostracizes her and her mother. In a less standard plot development, the nice sister is sorry for her and takes her back to the magical country, where she teaches her how to clean and garden properly, and as she works the thorns fall out. The stepsister and stepmother try not to backslide because they don't want more misfortune.
It isn't mentioned in this book, but some commentaries on this legend associate Mother Holly with Freya, who is associated with both hollies and cats (many cats are shown in the illustrations of Mother Holly's home). I'm not sure where her huge, fierce teeth come from, but it was nice to see an unattractive character who wasn't evil.
The illustrations are excellent. There is a huge amount of detail which I think would help hold the attention of younger kids throughout the text. I imagine kids would especially like searching for all the kittens and other baby animals scattered about.
March 15, 2015
I just discovered this one at the library, while hunting for books for my children. I never read this tale by the Grimm Brothers before, but found it so refreshing - yes, there is the mean stepmother and stepsister, and the lovely, hard-working girl who is much put-upon, but in this tale not only is the good girl rewarded and the bad girl punished, the bad girl (and her mother) realize the error of their ways and have a chance to make things right with the help of the good girl. You don't always have to be lazy and spiteful! People can change! If you behave badly you don't have to be punished for all eternity! Some nice real-life essons in this tale, and added to that, this edition has some really gorgeous illustrations. My 5-year-old daughter loved it - and so did I.
February 28, 2025
This rating is for the edition adapted by John Warren Stewig and illustrated by Johanna Westerman.
I enjoyed the detailed artwork in this edition and was glad to read a Grimm Brothers story I was unfamiliar with. In the preface of the book, the author explains that he wanted to create his own modern retelling of the story so it would be more relatable to modern readers. However, I did not find the revisions to be an improvement, and in fact, I would have preferred the original darker Grimm version. The changes included adding a father for the character Rose to come home to, softening the severity of the punishment that Blanche receives (making it temporary rather than permanent), and adding a moral lesson at the end of tale on the importance of being industrious which leads to a redemptive ending for the character Blanche.
I enjoyed the detailed artwork in this edition and was glad to read a Grimm Brothers story I was unfamiliar with. In the preface of the book, the author explains that he wanted to create his own modern retelling of the story so it would be more relatable to modern readers. However, I did not find the revisions to be an improvement, and in fact, I would have preferred the original darker Grimm version. The changes included adding a father for the character Rose to come home to, softening the severity of the punishment that Blanche receives (making it temporary rather than permanent), and adding a moral lesson at the end of tale on the importance of being industrious which leads to a redemptive ending for the character Blanche.
July 27, 2024
Mother Holly, illustrated by Johanna Westerman
Two sisters have very different experiences in the land of Mother Holly in this gorgeous picture book presentation of a fairy-tale from the Brothers Grimm. Hardworking and kindhearted, Rose does everything that is asked of her, and is rewarded with a shower of gold upon her return home. Blanche, by contrast, is lazy and mean-spirited, refusing to do any work and punished with a shower of thorns that cannot be removed. Eventually Rose, pitying her sister, returns with her to Mother Holly, and works out a deal whereby Blanche can redeem herself and be rid of the thorns...
Originally published as Frau Holle in the Grimms' 1812 Die Kinder- und Hausmärchen , this presentation of Mother Holly was adapted by American children's author John Warren Stewig, who has retold a number of other folk and fairy-tales in picture book form. His telling diverges from the traditional tale in its ending, as the final episode in which Blanche is reformed is a resolution added by Stewig, in order to emphasize "that with help we can all change the way we behave." This change didn't bother me unduly, as the narrative as a whole was so engaging. I appreciated the introductory note from Stewig, regarding the various versions of this story over time, and I absolutely loved the accompanying artwork from illustrator Johanna Westerman. This is only the second picture book of hers that I have read, following upon Valerie Scho Carey's Maggie Mab and the Bogey Beast , but I am immensely impressed by her work so far, and intend to seek out more of it! The visuals here are just breathtaking, full of some many little details one will want to pore over. This is one I highly recommend to all young folktale and fairy-tale enthusiasnts!
Two sisters have very different experiences in the land of Mother Holly in this gorgeous picture book presentation of a fairy-tale from the Brothers Grimm. Hardworking and kindhearted, Rose does everything that is asked of her, and is rewarded with a shower of gold upon her return home. Blanche, by contrast, is lazy and mean-spirited, refusing to do any work and punished with a shower of thorns that cannot be removed. Eventually Rose, pitying her sister, returns with her to Mother Holly, and works out a deal whereby Blanche can redeem herself and be rid of the thorns...
Originally published as Frau Holle in the Grimms' 1812 Die Kinder- und Hausmärchen , this presentation of Mother Holly was adapted by American children's author John Warren Stewig, who has retold a number of other folk and fairy-tales in picture book form. His telling diverges from the traditional tale in its ending, as the final episode in which Blanche is reformed is a resolution added by Stewig, in order to emphasize "that with help we can all change the way we behave." This change didn't bother me unduly, as the narrative as a whole was so engaging. I appreciated the introductory note from Stewig, regarding the various versions of this story over time, and I absolutely loved the accompanying artwork from illustrator Johanna Westerman. This is only the second picture book of hers that I have read, following upon Valerie Scho Carey's Maggie Mab and the Bogey Beast , but I am immensely impressed by her work so far, and intend to seek out more of it! The visuals here are just breathtaking, full of some many little details one will want to pore over. This is one I highly recommend to all young folktale and fairy-tale enthusiasnts!
July 14, 2018
Though the illustrations charmed me at first, the characters were flat, predictable and uninspiring. The altered ending from the Grimms' original tellings to drive home his moral of the story was too obvious and forced. The whitewashing, golden-blonde cloning of the two sisters in the "happy" ending was gross to me.
September 2, 2018
Liked the story, but didn't love the illustrations.
April 15, 2024
Cute and sweet. A good way to talk to your child about being kind, not complaining, and helping out. Me and my 5 year old love reading this book together.
July 19, 2015
Mother Holly is a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. At least in this retailing the story is not as dark and grim as some of the other Grimm fairy tales. It's about 2 sisters and how one is kind and hardworking and the other is not kind and does not like working. It's a story about change and forgiveness. I like this one more than some other fairy tales because it teaches how when we make mistakes we can change. We are not stuck in our ways but we need to fix our mistakes. The lazy sister learns to work and to be kind. I think it's a good example to children. I would read this story to my children. I would recommend it for children as young as 5 or 6.
December 31, 2014
What an odd story but it does have a good lesson for life that if you work hard then you shall be rewarded and that you don't get something for nothing. I enjoyed the story and would read it again along with the other Grimm stories.
February 11, 2014
I have newer enough from this story I can read it again again and again...
February 13, 2014
A very good lesson for life
May 23, 2016
One of my favourite fairy tales, but why the cow?
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews