Rumpelstiltskin (Read-aloud): A Classic Fairy Tale About Spinning Straw Into Gold, for Kids (Ages 4-8)

by Paul Galdone

The classic Grimm tale of the strange little man who helps the miller's daughter spin straw into gold. This ebook includes audio narration.

Genres: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Classics, Folklore

50 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Paul Galdone (1907 - November 7, 1986) was a children's literature author and illustrator. He was born in Budapest and he emigrated to the United States in 1921. He studied art at the Art Student's League and New York School for Industrial Design. He served for the US Army during world War II.

He illustrated nearly all of Eve Titus' books including the Basil of Baker Street series which was translated to the screen in the animated Disney film, The Great Mouse Detective.

Galdone and Titus were nominated for Caldecott Medals for Anatole (1957) and Anatole and the Cat (1958). The titles were later named Caldecott Honor books in 1971.

He died of a heart attack in Nyack, New York. He was posthumously awarded the 1996 Kerlan Award for his contribution to children's literature. His retellings of classic tales like "The Little Red Hen" or "Three Billy Goats Gruff" have become staples.

Reviews

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

There have been so many different versions of the legendary Brothers Grimm tale, “Rumpelstiltskin” that I was surprised to find another version of this tale, even though I already know the story by now! But, Paul Galdone’s version of the classic Brothers Grimm tale is definitely something worth checking out!

The story begins with a poor miller telling the king of the land that his beautiful daughter can spin straw into gold. The king then decides to take in the miller’s daughter to his castle and ordered her to spin straw into gold for him or else, she will die. The miller’s daughter, who had no clue how to spin straw into gold, started crying when suddenly a small man came in and told the miller’s daughter that he will help her spin straw into gold as long as she gives him something. So, afterwards, once the miller’s daughter gave everything to the little man when the king made her spin even more straw into gold, she ended up promising the little old man her first born child. After the little old man finished spinning the straw into gold, the king decided to marry the miller’s daughter and she ended up giving birth to a baby girl. But suddenly, the little old man popped up and demanded the queen to give her baby to him. But, the queen refused, so the little old man decided to give the queen three days to guess what his name is so that she could keep her child.

I have read many versions of “Rumpelstiltskin” and even though I already know the main gist of the story by this point, Paul Galdone’s version of the classic Brothers Grimm tale continues to renew my interest in this fairy tale! As usual, I have always enjoyed the classic fairy tale story “Rumpelstiltskin” and it was amazing reading another version of the classic Brothers Grimm and still enjoying this story for its intense story line and magical elements. Now, because everyone already knows the story of “Rumpelstiltskin,” I would like to talk more about what I loved about Paul Galdone’s artwork for this story. I loved Paul Galdone’s artwork in this book as the characters look realistic and I also loved the scratchy feel of the artwork as it fits perfectly with the intense nature of this story. I also loved the image of Rumpelstiltskin himself as he is shown to be a short, old looking man who wears medieval clothing such as a blue blouse with yellow and red striped pants and a brown cape and it makes him fit the role of the medieval times extremely well. I also loved the image of the miller’s daughter herself as she is truly beautiful with her long wavy blond hair and blue eyes, although I did have a problem with the miller’s daughter having dark circles under her eyes since it made her look a bit unhealthy from where I stand.

The only problem that I had with this book (and with the story in general) is that it deals with the possibility of a child being taken away from their parents because of a promise they made years ago. This is often an issue that would worry most parents since it would involve their children possibly being taken away from them without warning sometimes and parents might want to tread with caution when reading this book to their children.

Overall, Paul Galdone’s version of “Rumpelstiltskin” is definitely one book to check out if you are a huge fan of the classic fairy tale and if you are a fan of Paul Galdone’s works in general. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the theme of child kidnapping might upset some smaller children.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poor young girl has a father who likes to 'spin the yarn', as they say. He convinces the King that his daughter can turn straw into gold overnight. Curious, the king locks her away to try and the young girl is only saved when a mysterious man comes and does it for her. A second night sees the king up the ante and the girl is forced to rely on the generosity of the man, who asks for a piece of jewelry. By the third night, the greedy king demands more straw be turned into gold and will marry the girl if she does. The bartering that night turns to this man demanding her first-born in return. She agrees and the king follows through when he sees all the gold. After the man returns a year later and demands the princess, the king's wife (queen? It does not say) stalls and is told that she has three days to come up with the man's name. Over the next three days, she tries all the guesses that she can surmise, receiving a gem of an option from a messenger. Neo liked this piece and wondered why the ending was so abrupt. I admit, I am not too sure myself!

[Aneesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why do people repeat these horrible stories? Now I'm part of the problem.

[Beatrice Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very faithful telling of the classic fairy tale. The prose is good and easy to follow but it does tell the whole story. The art is what is more rated here. The characters are large, larger than life even. What is really a focus is the ki8ng and the jester of the court. Their big leering creepy faces are scary and fantastic. The clothing they wear elegantly drapes across the pages. And once the maiden becomes queen, so too her elegant wardrobe dazzles and drapes thus. SHe becomes part of that mean bunch. I do wish that rumple would have gotten more angry at the end, more demonic even. His clothes were nothing special. But I do really like the artist's attention to detail and filling in all the space of the page with other characters and decorations. And the fox on the cover makes me happy too. :)

Worth looking at!

[Maggie Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this version of Rumpelstiltiskin okay, but I have definitely seen better versions. I thought it was a very basic version, which can be great for early readers. The illustrations were well drawn, but not overly exciting. There were also quite a few words on each page without much space between. I would recommend this one to students if they are looking for an easier read to gain some confidence.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.

Read with my 6yo for B&R-1st-LA curriculum.

[Melissa Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the detailed illustrations!

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay ngl this is a creepy story and creepy illustrations but my 4 year old is obsessed and I am partly concerned and partly fascinated

[Froilan Bustos · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Rumpelstiltskin" by Paul Galdone is a captivating rendition of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale that has delighted children and adults alike for generations. Galdone's narrative is straightforward and engaging, making it accessible to young readers while preserving the enchantment and mystery that define this story. What truly sets this version apart, however, are Galdone's illustrations. He employs a distinctive style that combines pen-and-ink drawings with watercolor washes, creating images that are both vivid and expressive. His artwork perfectly complements the narrative, enhancing the magical and somewhat eerie atmosphere of the tale. Through his unique blend of text and imagery, Galdone breathes new life into the story of Rumpelstiltskin, making it a must-read for those who cherish fairy tales and the art of storytelling.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Galdone’s 1985 retelling of the classic Brother’s Grimm tale, Rumpelstiltskin, is a must for any classroom or household library. This is a story of a father who tries to impress the king by stating that his daughter can spin gold from straw. The king tests this claim by forcing the daughter to perform this task, not once but three times. The daughter, who faces death if she fails, is saved by a little man who effortlessly completes the task in exchange for valuables. By the third night, the desperate daughter, who has nothing else to offer the man, promises him her first born child. When the man comes to claim this child, he takes pity on the pleading mother and offers to forgive the debt if she can guess his name.

Galdone’s version of this classic tale remains true to both the traditional characters and story line. His simple yet direct text is easy to follow and often reveals the intentions and feelings of the characters. For example, he explicitly states that the miller “wanted to make himself appear important” to the king instead of simply stating that he was boastful. Moreover, Galdone’s is one of the few versions that encourages readers to be sympathetic to the miller when he states that the miller immediately regretted his boast. This approach to the characters opens the door for discussion about character development with children.

Readers familiar with Galdone’s illustration style of ink sketches and water color will have no trouble recognizing his work. As in his other retellings such as Jack and the Beanstalk, The Gingerbread Man, and The Shoemaker and the Elves, Galdone focuses on the character emotions and scene detail to compliment the text and to pull readers into the tale. For example, he wastes no time introducing the readers to Rumpelstiltskin on the front cover of the book. Although an angelic miller’s daughter is shown working in the fields appears to be the focus of the cover, readers who follow her glance will discover Rumpelstiltskin sitting in the bottom corner of the cover looking slyly at US, the readers.
This version of the story is appropriate for all readers, but mostly young ones who are just learning the story. Galdone’s descriptive pictures support the text and convey not only the plot but the emotions of the characters. Galdone also adds complimentary characters, those not included in the main story or dialog, but whose presence helps create a believable scene. The pictures from the castle scenes contain many people not mentioned in the text but would be present in court life at the time. Classroom teachers can use these scenes to explore how illustrators add details to support a text and how illustrations convey character traits not described in the text.

Primary school teachers can include this book in an author/illustrator study in which they explore the vast body of work of an author or illustrator. This book can also be used to explore how illustrators use different mediums to create their pictures.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rumpelstiltskin is the story of an old miller who tells the King that his daughter has the gift of spinning straw into gold. As the King hears such a marvelous art, he takes the miller’s daughter into his palace and locks her in a room to spin all the straw into gold. The poor miller’s daughter has not idea how the straw could be possibly be spun into gold, she feels so sad and starts crying. Suddenly, a small man comes to the rescue but he asks something in return. The first time she gives him her necklace, then her ring but the third time she doesn’t have anything else. The King has promised to marry her if she turns the third room into gold; the little man accepts to help her for the last time if she gives him her first child when she becomes Queen. The miller’s daughter marries the King and after a year she has a beautiful baby. The Queen has forgotten about the little man, until he reappears to take the Queen’s child. The Queen starts begging and crying that the little man takes pity on her. He gives her three days to guess his name, if the Queen does not guess the little man will take the child. After three days of saying all the names she knew, the Queen’s despair grows bigger and send one of her helpers to search for more name. When the helper was walking through the woods, the helper hears the little man sing and saying his name…Rumpelstiltskin! At the end the Queen tells the little man his name he disappears and the Queen keeps her baby.
This particular version by Paul Galdone of 1985 has full-page illustrations with some dull colors and grotesque looking characters. All versions I have seen are very similar throughout the story and few discrepancies could be found between them. In this story the messenger the Queen sends to the woods is a man, the Queen has a baby daughter, Rumpelstiltskin song says: "Today I brew, tomorrow I bake, the next day, the young Queen's child I'll take. Soon far and wide will spread the fame that Rumpelstiltskin is my name"; and at the end, Rumpelstiltskin stamped so hard on the ground that disappeared from sight.
This ending was not as dramatic as other versions I read. For a traditional literature book for children some of the language is strong and some of the scenes are offensive. For example the miller gives his daughter away by lying, the King locks the miller’s daughter and threatens her to kill her, the greediness of the King and no one ask the miller’s daughter if she actually wanted to marry the King!
Overall, it is a entertaining story but one without a good message in my opinion.

[RLL22016_Joy Bailey Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale titled "Rumplestiltsken" is another version of the Original tale titled "Rumpmestiltskin" As well. In the original version a father, who is a poor Miller,lies to the King to impress him by stating his daughter can turn straw into Thread. The daughter is then bought to the kingdom and lock away in a room and given until dawn to do so or she will die. The daughter then becomes sad and starts to cry because she doesn't know how she will ever pull this off. Out of nowhere a tiny man appears and offers her to help in exchange for e gift. She offers him a necklace. By dawn the room is filled with gold and the King is so happy he puts her in another room. She is put in the same situation only the room is bigger. Once again the tiny man appears this time in exchange he wants her ring. By dawn the room is filled with gold thread however th King greedy takes over and places her into a larger room. At this point the woman has nothing to give in return of help. The tiny man appears again and makes her promise that when she gives birth to her first child she will give it to the man. She's agrees thinking the tiny man will forget. She gets married and a year later births a child. They tiny man appears and demands the child but she. Begs and pleas until he gives her three days to learn his name and she can keep the child. On the third day she learns his name he becomes upset and so angry he flies away. In this story told by Paul Galdone. The woman births a daughter instead of a son. Also instead of flying away in the end the man stomps his feet and falls through the ground. I think this is an okay version. I never read Rumplestiltsken as a child. My first time come across this tale was in my adult life. For it to be a traditional tale I never really heard of it. Probably because of the tiny man and his evil plot not the best for children. After reading this second version of Rumplestiltsken it makes me wonder just how many other versions it may be and read them. It's pretty cool when there can be som any versions of one story told by different authors with their own twist to it.
From the beginning you can tell the tiny man has no good interest in helping her because from the start he wants something in return. Teaches people that nothing is given free in this world. It is always a price for something.

[L12_tomj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Galdone's interpretation of the Rumpelstiltskin fable is much more explicit in telling young readers how Miller's daughter came to her prediament; her father made a boast: "I have a daughter who can spin straw into gold." Other characters motivations and actions are laid out in more detail. The king wants to marry the miller's daughter, and Rumpelstiltskin although just as nefariously greedy as always does allow the new queen three days to guess his real name. More plot details are revealed in Galdone's version of the story; the King and Rumpelstiltskin are seen plotting together on page to extract gold from the miller's daughter, and now crowned queen sends a messenger who overhears Rumpelstiltskin bragging about his new found wealth and saying his name out loud. The Miller's daughter, acts like she doesn't know the little troll's name, but she does. The ending is the same with Rumpelstiltskin's greed and brash mouth getting the best of him. He stomps both his feet and soon vanishes from sight.

Paul Galdone appears to have both written and illustrated the story, but it would seem that the story would have worked better with another illustrator. The drawings have a cartoon like simplicity of line and color to them. The reader is transported more to an ABC television special than the medieval period. Rumpelstiltskin, the king, and even the father still conspire and use the Miller's daughters for their own greedy ends, but the sketches are much too innocent looking. The characters aren't drawn in scary ways to match their sinister schemes. This is a big drawback. The writing does fill in some details in the story, but it seems more intent in its explicit retelling to force feeding the young reader the storyline. There isn't much interpretive room for a teacher of 4th grade students to look at the drawings and storyline and extract as many themes or symbols via the drawings or leaving space in the writing for the reader to respond to the text which is unfortunate. Paul Galdone's version of Rumpelstiltskin was written in 1985, and this doesn't seem to be a book that many publishers will republish or teacher pick up to reread in 20 or 40 years.(less)

[Angelique W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually loved this version. I thought the cartoon-like bold colors and textures of the illustrations were well done. Also, how defined the emotions were portrayed in the character's facial expressions. Again, I am not an expert, but I prefer the illustrations in this version of Rumpelstiltskin to the Caldecott Award winning version by Paul O. Zelinsky, which was published a year after this version.

The other part of the story I liked was how the writer incorporated poetry within the story, "Today I brew, tomorrow I bake. The next day, the young Queen's child I'll take." (Galdone 26). I loved this little break away from the text and I can see reading this part to small children in an exaggerated voice, singsong way that would be appealing and enjoyable similar to a Dr. Suess or Shel Silverstein.

[MissDziura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Paul Galdone's traditional version of Rumpelstiltskin was published in 1985, and is most approriate for readers in 2nd and 3rd grade. As opposed to other version read, this holds true to the original version, even including the gender stereotypes first written by the Brothers Grimm. Unlike other contemporary versions in which the miller's daughther protests when she is told she must give up her first born, Galdone's girl obliges to the whims of the little, mysterious man. Probably the most interesting feature of this version were the pencil and watercolor illustrations. On almost every page set the text was written on only one side, and the illustration spread from the half of one page onto the other. The illustrations spanned from side-to-side and up-and-down which made this seemingly boring version of Rumpelstiltskin just a little more bearable. My only classroom suggestions would be as a read-aloud to tell this tale to students, or for use in an art classs as an example of a type of picture book illustration that could be practiced.

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice story time read.

[Megan Garrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copyright- 1985
Number of Pages-32
Book format-hardcover
Reading Level-N/A GR Level- N/A
Genre- Fiction
Lit. Requirement- Traditional Literature-2

This a fairy tale about a young girl and her father tells the king that she can spin straw into gold. Intrigued, the king brings the girl to the castle and puts her in a room full of straw. The king told her that if she did not spin the straw into gold and if by dawn tomorrow it was not done, then she would die. The girl cried because she could not spin straw into gold. A little man appeared and asked the girl why she was sad. The girl told the man that she could not spin straw into gold, and the man made the girl an offer. His offer was if he turned the straw into gold that the girl give him something in return. The girl gave him her necklace and the man turned all of the straw in the room into gold. The king was surprised and he then put her into a larger room with more straw and told her to do the same thing. The little man appeared once again and said he would spin the straw into gold if her was given something. This time the girl gave him her ring and once again the man turned all of the straw into gold. The king was again happy and surprised but wanted more. He then put the girl into an even larger room and ordered her to spin the straw into gold or she would die. The girl cried and the little man appeared. This time when he asked for something, the girl had nothing left to give. The little man replied with "Then promise me, if you should become Queen, to give me your first child." The girl agreed thinking she wold not have children. The man turned all the straw into gold and this time the king thought he should marry her if she has talents like this. A year passes and the girl gives birth to a daughter. The man returns and demands the baby. The girl now does not want to give up her baby, so the man says that she has three days to figure out his name. If she knows his name in three days then she can keep her child. The now Queen asks everyone far and wide for information on the little man. She asks the man and he tells her again and again, "That is not my name". The Queen sends a messenger and the messenger finds a little man in a cottage chanting, "Today I brew, tomorrow I bake. The next day, the young Queen's child I'll take. Soon far and wide will spread the fame, That Rumpelstiltskin is my name." The messenger returns and tells the Queen of his news. The Queen tells the man and it is in fact his name and in a rage he stomps his foot on the ground so hard that he disappears and is never heard from again.
I thought this book was interesting, I have never heard of it before. It had an interesting plot and characters. I think you could have this book for a focus unit on fairy tales. I think this book is fairly simple and there are short pages so I would say it could be for 1st-4th graders. I think you could tie in a moral of telling the truth from the beginning or else you will dig yourself a bigger hole the more lies that are spread. If the girl and her father were honest then the king might have let her go or it would have not happened. The hole the man sunk into could represent symbolically the hole that they dug themselves into. Or another moral could be to not talk to strangers and trust people who always want something in return. I would recommend this to classrooms, it is an older book and might scare children though. It really depends on the audience and lesson it would be used with.

[Alexa Pascarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this version of Rumpelstiltskin because I saw it on Kirkus Reviews and the Libby app has an ereader version that I think would be great for my students. It is a mix of audio and visual. The ereader displays the whole book with the text and illustrations, but there is also music and narrators reading the text which makes it so entertaining. Another added bonus in this ereader format is that it highlights the words as the narrator reads it, so readers can follow along. This is a great option for early readers or students who are not native English speakers. This version is very close to the classic fairytale where a miller makes a promise to a king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The daughter can’t actually do that, so Rumpelstiltskin shows up and offers his help. When she takes his offer, he wants valuables in return. She gives him what she has, but eventually runs out of things and so Rumpelstilnken says he wants her first born child. Out of desperation, she agrees and when Rumpelstiltksin comes to take the baby, she begs him not to. He says he won’t take the baby if she can guess his name in three days. She uses a messenger to search for the name and finally on the third day, the messenger overhears Rumpelstilskin saying his name and she guesses correctly. Rumpelstiltskin got so mad that he stomped his feet so hard that he sank into the ground and was buried and never seen from again.

Galdone is a Caldecott winner which I can see due to his realistic, yet whimsical drawings and bright, colorful spreads. The detail in the lines, shading, and colors on the character’s faces let the reader know exactly what the character is feeling and thinking. All of the pictures are two page spreads with the text almost looking like it’s floating on a cloud within the scene. The landscape looks like it goes past the pages and is connected from page to page. Also, the style and elements are consistent with the traditional setting.

This book is a great example to show students a lot of fairytale motifs including a king, a magical creature, turning something typical into something special, and someone boasting about their powers. It also has a castle, a cottage, a forest, and takes place “once upon a time.” It’s a great example of staying true to the original Grimm story and the traditional literature genre which is rare for modern day storytelling due to all the fractured fairytales and Disney versions. With this entertaining ereader version, I think it is a great way for students to be exposed to an original tale.

[Scott Southerland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that I hadn't read Rumpelstiltskin before and I'm fairly certain that I never have, though it did seem a bit familiar. I must have come across some version of it as a kid, be it a cartoon form or perhaps it was read to me by one of my Grandparents on my mother's side as they were of German descent. I don't know that I saw a point or a moral to the story. The main character, the daughter of a Miller, is forced to try and spin gold from straw after her fool of a father boasts that she has that talent in front of the king in order to seem important. Of course she cannot do this and weeps because the king said he'd kill her if she didn't. She is offered help by an imp (Rumpelstiltskin) in exchange for her necklace, which she gives him and he happily spins her gold from straw. The process is repeated until, in the third round, she has nothing left to give. Rumpelstiltskin says he'll help her again but if she becomes Queen, which the King had promised for more gold, she must give Rumpelstiltskin her first child. She agrees thinking that a marriage to the King is unlikely. Of course she does marry the King, has a child, and Rumpelstiltskin comes for his payment. She had forgotten the arrangement and begs Rumpelstiltskin for another chance, so he says that she can keep her child if she guesses his name in 3 days. The Queen sends out spies who find Rumpelstiltskin, determine his name, and the Queen gets to keep her child.

I suppose the Rumpelstiltskin character reminds me of a trickster, though he doesn't really trick anyone, he actually keeps his word in every way. The King is basically the villain in the book, but he ends up marrying the Miller's daughter and she seems happy about it or at least with her child by him, so he's no classic villain, he behaves like a King from the late middle ages probably would behave. I'd say the underplayed villain in the story is the Miller. For his own self aggrandizement he boasts to the King that his daughter can make gold from straw and she nearly dies from it, and also nearly looses her child.

[Vanessa Dioses · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a genre of Folklore and for ages 4 to 7 and has won a 1987 Caldecott Honor, Redbook award and Parents' Choice Award. A summary of the book is the classic tale of a millers daughter put to a test and by needing the help of a mysterious little man but with a big consequence eventually. I rated the book so well because i absolutely love the story in general and some books have different angels and switch things up in the story but this book was perfect to me. This tale has always been my favorite. I loved the movies that were made from this tale as well. The illustrations were doubled paged, big, bright and colorful. The printing of the words were bold and the story didn't take too long to tell on each page in general. Kids won't get bored that way. The characters were Rumpelstiltskin, the millers daughter, and the king. The themes to me are power and greed from both the king and Rumpelstiltskin. I absolutely believe this book would be great for younger readers. I could use this book in a classroom in many ways too. The first thing that comes to mind is that, I could use it for themes and what is the story or lesson this book wants to tell us? Or introducing what plot, themes, and characters are in a stories. Think this would be perfect!

[Dominika Romano · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this version of Rumpelstilktskin, the poor miller has to deliver a message to the King. After boasting about how his daughter can spin gold, he immediately regrets it as she is invited to the castle to do just that. The first time Rumpelstiltskin appears, she gives him her necklace to spin gold. The King is satisfied but not entirely. The second time Rumpelstiltskin appears she gives him her ring to spin gold. The King asks for a third night in a row, in which she has nothing to offer Rumpelstiltskin. He insists of taking her first born prince when she becomes queen in which she agrees. He shows up a year later when she is not ready to give up her baby and gives her three days to guess his name. The messanger continues to deliver any name the Queen can think of, until he overhears him singing a song that mentions his name. She is ecstatic to learn his real name which leads to Rumpelstiltskin falling into the Earth. This 1990 version has some differences from others that I have read. The images in the story are not as vibrant and colorful as ones published later. It is painted in a different style as well, not necessarily precisely in the lines. Very interesting!

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorites that isn't told too often anymore. I think people get tired of reading fairy tales because Disney has done some to death. I've notice the explosion of parodies of these fine tales and often find the children reading them have never heard the originals. So sad. Parents, grandparents and other caregivers are dropping the ball on their culture! You may be familiar with the told tales, but your child isn't! Please read some Grimm's fairy tales to them! They are brilliant short stories that little children love to hear! I heard them through oral tradition from my grandmother at 2. My own child, at a year old, I'd read her the stories. At 3, she'd correct ME if I left a part out!
This particular version, while abbreviated, will hold the attention of younger children. The illustrations are larger than life; they will appeal to the kids and work well with a story time group.

[Rachel Tarnoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

This version of Rumpelstiltskin by Paul Galdone is very similar to the original story. The text is written in a way that tells the story in a simple way. Younger readers would be able to follow this story more than other versions I have read. The illustrations might draw some readers to this book as they cover the majority of the pages. Children might be able to follow along with the story just from these illustrations. I don't love the story of Rumpelstiltskin but this would be a good version to read when learning about fairy tales especially since it follows the original version.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Galdone is my go-to for classic folk and fairy tale picture books. His illustrations are a little sharp, which is different from the softer illustrations that are more often seen in modern texts. While I enjoyed my read, it isn't necessarily anything surprising or overly exciting--it's not a new take on anything. However, that's what it's meant to be about and it's a strong classic text.

For: fans of classic folk and fairy tales.

Possible red flags: some may find the tale too creepy.

[Christina Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic fantasy, written for children in grades 3 and up. A miller had a daughter who was threatened if she didn't complete the task of turning straw into gold. She came across Rumpelstiltskin who helped her keep her life, as he turned the straw into gold for her. She made a promise that she would give him her first child, but this promise was defeated as she loved her child too much. This story never gets old to me, as the the illustrations makes it hard to do. They are very colorful and provide a vivid example of what the author is telling us in this story.

[AMY · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of it is word for word the same as my other Rumpelstiltskin book (by Zelinski). The only differences were - Rumpelstiltskin doesn't ride a cooking spoon around the fire. Instead he dances on each foot. Also, at the end he stomps one foot on the ground and sinks to his waist. Then he stomps his other foot so hard he disappeared and was never seen again. The illustrations are pretty good. I would recommend it for a good basic version. Recommended for Grades K-3.

[Julie Rothlauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the traditional retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, and was written by Paul Galdone, who is a Caldecott Honor award winner. Many of his books are retellings of classics in the Folk Tale Series. The illustrations include sketch-like drawn images with many different colors, which helps add interest for the reader. In this version of the story, the miller’s daughter who becomes Queen, gives birth to a daughter.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has always been one of my favorite fairy tales, so perhaps I'm judging it too harshly. The art is okay, but I didn't like the portrayal of the king as greedy and mean ... no redeeming qualities. So the miller's daughter was rewarded for her work by having to marry that man!?!

In a couple of versions, the king has at least one redeeming character trait. Now I'll have to check to see how he is described in the original (or near-original) version.

[Kaylin]

"Rumpelstiltskin" has won a 1987 Caldecott Honor, the Redbook award, Parents' Choice Award, and more. It is an infamous folk tale appropriate for ages 5-10. The tale is about a miller who offers the services of his daughter to the king. The miller's daughter must spin straw into gold otherwise she will die; the daughter does not know how to do this, so each day Rumpelstiltskin comes and does it for her. He always asks for a reward, until one day the daughter has nothing left to give. He says she must give him her first born child, and she agrees. When the daughter has a baby, she does not want to give it up, and Rumpelstiltskin said she could keep it if she guesses his name, which she does thanks to a messenger, and there is a happy ending. This is a good tale with a good moral of learning not to make promises you can't keep. The illustrations are old fashioned due to the age of the book, and the lesson is timeless. I believe anyone of any age could benefit from reading Rumpelstiltskin. If I were to teach this book, I would have a discussion about making promises. I would ask the class for their personal experience, i.e. "Has anyone ever made a promise you couldn't keep? How did that make you feel?" It is the perfect opportunity to teach morals. I would also have them brainstorm as to what happens to Rumpelstiltskin at the end of the story, since he disappears forever. This will allow them to use their imaginations.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book a lot. I am not an expert on all things Rumpelstitskin, but this story seems to do a great job of giving the main tale with simplicity and helpful illustrations. It's a great basic starting place before moving on to other versions or longer chapter books based on the fairy/nursery story.