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Hansel and Gretel
This tale of children in peril has timeless appeal, and the breathtaking illustrations will find a discriminating audience
This stunning edition of the classic fairy tale makes brilliant use of translucent paper and silhoutte-like illustrations to enliven every page. “Once upon a time, there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel . . .” and so begins the thrilling story of two children relying on their wits to survive in a hostile world. Sybille Schenker’s evocative and exquisite illustrations bring a unique beauty and graphic excellence to a timeless favorite.
This stunning edition of the classic fairy tale makes brilliant use of translucent paper and silhoutte-like illustrations to enliven every page. “Once upon a time, there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel . . .” and so begins the thrilling story of two children relying on their wits to survive in a hostile world. Sybille Schenker’s evocative and exquisite illustrations bring a unique beauty and graphic excellence to a timeless favorite.
52 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
162 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 4, 2022
Woodcuts, shadows,textiles and vellum. Lovely.
March 23, 2014
This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Beautifully detailed paper cut-outs, interwoven with vellum pages. The illustrations have both layers on individual pages and layers interacting with other pages...it's absolutely stunning. STUNNING.
Why didn't this one 16 Caldecotts? Or at least one!! I mean, I adore A Sick Day for Amos McGee, but even I can see that this should have been an honor that year (with Interrupting Chicken not even on the charts!). But since the North American edition was printed in 2013, I guess it was contending with the potentially-offensive Locomotive. And Mr. Wuffles? C'mon...Wiesner is such a joke compared to the talent of Sybille Schenker.
Either way, you should read this. Recommend it. Buy it as gifts. Gift it to yourself...
Why didn't this one 16 Caldecotts? Or at least one!! I mean, I adore A Sick Day for Amos McGee, but even I can see that this should have been an honor that year (with Interrupting Chicken not even on the charts!). But since the North American edition was printed in 2013, I guess it was contending with the potentially-offensive Locomotive. And Mr. Wuffles? C'mon...Wiesner is such a joke compared to the talent of Sybille Schenker.
Either way, you should read this. Recommend it. Buy it as gifts. Gift it to yourself...
May 18, 2014
The absolutely stunning design is the highlight of this book.
Sybille Schenker lives and works in Nuremberg, Germany.
minedition
English edition, Michael Neugebauer Publishing, 2011; 1st North American edition, 2013. Text by Brothers Grimm, edited and abridged by Martin West.
Sybille Schenker lives and works in Nuremberg, Germany.
minedition
English edition, Michael Neugebauer Publishing, 2011; 1st North American edition, 2013. Text by Brothers Grimm, edited and abridged by Martin West.
December 27, 2013
SO PRETTY. What a wonderful version of this classic story!
December 21, 2019
Because of the delay in construction, I was having to go to the local library to get books for my students. This year we will be reading Interrupting Chicken: the element of surprise. I like to make sure my students have the background knowledge they need to see the humor. So this fall we have been reading The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, and Rapunzel. Recently I have been adding Little Red Cap, Hansel and Gretel and all the versions of Henny Penny and Chicken Little I can find. We have used Culture Grams and World Book to visit Denmark, Germany, Ukraine, and Poland (we have also read the Mitten and Little Dog Lost (Baltic).
I could not resist this version of Hansel and Gretel - it is too fragile for my students, but we have the same version in our library by a different illustrator. This book though, the illustrator makes it more clear that the step mother and the witch are the same person. I was always suspicious! Having read this book in the past to my students (warning* risk of parent phone calls), I noticed a significant difference when reading this book in how the kids caught on to that suspicion. I had to follow up with Schenker's version of Little Red Riding Hood. The students loved it (2nd - 5th).
I could not resist this version of Hansel and Gretel - it is too fragile for my students, but we have the same version in our library by a different illustrator. This book though, the illustrator makes it more clear that the step mother and the witch are the same person. I was always suspicious! Having read this book in the past to my students (warning* risk of parent phone calls), I noticed a significant difference when reading this book in how the kids caught on to that suspicion. I had to follow up with Schenker's version of Little Red Riding Hood. The students loved it (2nd - 5th).
January 1, 2024
Een bezoekje aan de ruilwinkel in het dorp leverde me een paar prachtige boeken op, onder andere dit boek dat een hele bijzondere opmaak heeft. Het is natuurlijk het klassieke sprookje maar de uitgave is heel bijzonder. Het blijkt een speciale uitgave uit 2012 om het internationale Grimm jaar te vieren, zwarte silhouetten op semi-transparante papier maken het sprookjesbos extra betoverend: het is alsof je zelf tussen de donkere bomen loopt. Het boek was natuurlijk zo uit en ik ben nog aan het twijfelen of ik het wel in mijn minibieb ga zetten, dat was wel mijn insteek toen ik met spullen naar de ruilwinkel ging maar ja dit is zo’n mooi boek. Ik kan het ook verkopen en van de opbrengst bij de kringloop kinderboeken voor mijn minibieb kopen.
February 22, 2018
This tells the classic story of Hansel and Gretel. The children's stepmother tricks them into getting lost in the forest. They stumble upon a cottage made of sweets. A wicked witch traps them and fattens them up to eat. Gretel tricks the witch into sticking her head in the oven, and she dies. The children are reunited with their loving father.
This book is great! It tells a classic story, but the illustrations make it even greater. The artist uses see through pages and black background to create an interesting and new look.
I would use this is a unit on classic stories in an elementary school or just recommend as a good fun read.
This book is great! It tells a classic story, but the illustrations make it even greater. The artist uses see through pages and black background to create an interesting and new look.
I would use this is a unit on classic stories in an elementary school or just recommend as a good fun read.
November 30, 2020
This book is absolutely stunning. It tells the story of Hansel and Gretel using translucent pages and black ink. Every time I turned the page was a treat. Each illustration is hauntingly creative. My favorite page is the one with the tree made of crows as the parents lead Hansel and Gretel into the woods. I couldn't recommend this book enough to anyone who loves art and classic Grimm fairytales. I was enchanted from start to finish.
January 15, 2018
The classic story made more magical with vellum pages and layered shadows. My 7-year-old read it to my 3-year-old several times, and it was so sweet to see them snuggled together reading a favorite book.
June 17, 2017
Amazing illustrations!!
January 25, 2018
The illustrations are gorgeous!
August 23, 2018
The story is screwed up but goodness, this book is gorgeous. The paper art is phenomenal.
July 12, 2018
A truly exceptional version of this classic fairy tale. Unique art work and cutouts make this an outstanding story. Similar art to Nikki McClure.
August 10, 2018
Same awesome story with phenomenal illustrations!
September 18, 2019
Sybille Schenker illustrates this book beautifully with translucent paper and silhouettes to capture the dangers of the deep woods.
April 25, 2020
One of the most beautiful books I have ever seen.
December 13, 2021
One of my favorite stories ever since I was little.
January 23, 2017
Gorgeous and fascinating illustration technique.
November 1, 2014
This version is beautifully designed and the story is based off of the Grimm’s brother version of this tale. The young children are left in the wood to placate the stepmother are captured and imprisoned by an evil witch and then only the quick thinking of the two children save their lives and kill the old witch. They are happily are reunited with their father at the end. The unique illustrations and design of this book are what I enjoyed most about this tale. The book has see through pages that helped layer the illustrations adding a beautiful yet eerie feel to this story
Recommended age 5-10
Reading Level 1st -2nd
Recommended age 5-10
Reading Level 1st -2nd
December 16, 2015
This book is a work of art. Before even reading, I am in love. The matte black cover with drawings done in clear varnish, the laser-cut title, the stab binding with orange thread all make me swoon. Inside, the story is told through a mix of words end pictures, dark and colored inks on either opaque or translucent pages. There is a marvelous layering of imagery and a play of cut outs that made this something I needed to own. I'm not much of a fan of this story, but that's the fault of the Brothers Grimm. Still, the artistry of this volume is stunning and very much worth a read.
April 9, 2016
This illustrator used translucent paper a lot to show the layers of the forest and different times of light. The blue page was particularly nice to depict the "darkest night" which with the turn of a page transformed to moonlight. Beautiful artwork. Between this one and her Little Red Riding Hood, I do prefer the latter. Both fairy tales told without reform from the originals, are scary for younger kids and the illustrations of both also highlight the menacing nature of the stories. Very good collector item for interested adults or artists.
April 21, 2015
Standard Brothers Grimm text set against stunning artwork consisting of diecuts, mixed media, elegant paper and texture choices giving the book a theatrical feel as far as presentation goes.
Interesting approach to the witch's cottage which is usually depicted as a candy castle straight out of Candyland, but here takes on a patchwork quilt feel; it works, and stands out from the crowd.
PreK-2+.
Interesting approach to the witch's cottage which is usually depicted as a candy castle straight out of Candyland, but here takes on a patchwork quilt feel; it works, and stands out from the crowd.
PreK-2+.
February 13, 2014
Interesting illustrations with several transparent pages. This version does not include the two times that Hansel marked the way with white stones, and thus found the way back home, nor does it mention Hansel remarking that he is looking at a white cat on the roof of the house when asked what he is doing. This version includes only the breadcrumbs, which of course were eaten by the birds.
April 6, 2014
From a book arts standpoint, this is awesome -- a commercially made picture book with a stab binding, cut out cover, papercut illustrations and neat transparent pages. It's cool, and I'm impressed that they made it. It's an abridgement of the story, and the illustrations don't quite sync with the story in the way I viscrally want them to, but still, pretty. And yes, I am a snob.
October 14, 2015
The rating has more to a very imaginative creative illustration of an abridged version of Hansel and Gretel . While the narrative feels short the transperancies and and amazing silhouettes and die cuts more than
Make up for it. Because the artwork casts a realistic eerie feeling is definitely recommend it for children ages 5 on up.
Make up for it. Because the artwork casts a realistic eerie feeling is definitely recommend it for children ages 5 on up.
February 22, 2014
It is really a stunning edition of this beloved Brothers Grimm tale. The illustrations are amazing. My only complaint is that the entire story isn't included. It starts with the breadcrumbs part, skipping the white pebbles part.
February 23, 2014
This book is an absolute work of art. So gorgeous with die cut pages and sheer overlays to add to the illustrations. I'm slightly nervous for how our library copies will hold up from check out to check out, it's a very delicate book!
April 11, 2014
A beautiful adaptation of Grimm's Hansel and Gretel with laser cuts, semitransparent pages, and silhouettes. An aesthetically stunning picture book that perfectly captures the iconic spirit of this classic folktale.
June 27, 2014
Beautifully illustrated and conceived, though I would have preferred a translation of the story in which Gretel is the stronger, rather than being saved by her brother. 5 stars for artwork and presentation, 3 for translation and interpretation decisions.
September 3, 2014
Fabulous illustrations, overlay and papercut and collage. I wish these illustrations had been paired with Hansel and Gretelwhich has Gaiman's elegant and chilling text.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews