Dear Mili

by Wilhelm Grimm, Maurice Sendak (Illustrator), Ralph Manheim (Translator)

Young Mili escapes a horrible war by living for thirty years in the forest with a kindly and mysterious old man, in a long-lost Grimm tale illustrated by the Caldecott Medalist for Where the Wild Things Are. Reissue.

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

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1816

About the author

One year after Jakob Ludwig Karl Grimm started studying law at the University of Marburg, his younger brother, German author Wilhelm Karl Grimm, followed.

In 1825, Wilhelm married Henriette Dorothea Wild, also known as Dortchen. Together they parented four children: Jakob Grimm (1826-1826), Herman Friedrich Grimm (1828-1901), Rudolf Georg Grimm (1830-1889), and Auguste Luise Pauline Marie (1832-1919).

From 1837 to 1841, the Grimm brothers joined five of their colleague professors at the University of Göttingen to form a group, known as the Göttinger sieben. They protested against Ernst August, king of Hanover, whom they accused of violating the constitution. The king fired all seven professors.

Wilhelm Grimm died in Berlin.

---Adapted from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

These illustrations are beautiful, a scary version of William Morris telling a dark fairytale of a girl and her mother that live by the woods. Soldiers come to their village so the mother takes the little girl to the woods and tells her to hide and return to her in three days. The little girl waits for three days and like an episode of Dr Who, when the little girl returns her mother is an old woman

This was a great story to read not knowing what would happen, the art work is amazing to look at. Definitely a book I would like to own and revisit. A great fairytale, very atmospheric and although nothing particularly bad happens it is quite scary!

Read on openlibrary

[Melki · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the Grimm brothers I expect dark fantasies - scary forests, witches, evil stepmothers. I don't expect to be miserably depressed after reading one of their tales . . . but I felt like hitting the bottle after reading this one. And the story is so laced with references to God and the Christ Child, it could have been written by James C. Dobson. Sendak's illustrations are lovely, but they can't save this bleak tale of woe.


Perhaps Jacob Grimm was the imaginative brother . . .

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations are amazing. They’re so lush; I’ve never seen anything quite like them. I’m not the biggest Sendak fan but I love his illustrations in this book. The story is dark, grim, as are many Grimm stories. I wouldn’t recommend this one for most very young children unless first screened by their adults to determine its suitability, but the story was lovely in its own way. I enjoyed it. I’d thought I’d read this in about 1991 but it didn’t seem that familiar to me so I’m considering this my first reading.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about the forest which speaks to the human spirit. Whether threatening and full of unseen danger, as in Little Red Riding Hood , or the stronghold of liberty, and safe-haven to which rebellious heroes such as Robin Hood and his band of outlaws withdraw, it looms large in our collective imagination. So too does war - that unwelcome specter which has dogged humanity for so much of its existence...

It seems almost inevitable then, that any story which addresses itself to the human fascination with, and fear of, both war and the forest, should speak to us most powerfully. Such is certainly the case with Dear Mili, a short tale from Wilhelm Grimm, of the Brothers Grimm. Originally part of a letter written by the author to a young girl in 1816, it lay forgotten for more than 150 years, until finally coming to light in the early 1980s. This beautiful picture book, with illustrations by the brilliant Maurice Sendak, marks its debut in print.

When an unseen, unnamed war draws near, a mother wonders how to protect her beloved daughter from those "wicked men," and eventually decides to take her to the forest, hoping that there she will be safe. Slipping a piece of Sunday cake into her pocket, assuring her that God will direct her steps, she kisses her daughter, and lets her go... And so begins, from the daughter's perspective, a three-day odyssey, in which she finds shelter in the woods with kindly St. Joseph. But has it only been three days...?

Deceptively simple, Dear Mili touches upon many important themes, from the traumatic familial separation so often caused by war, to the role of faith in difficult times. It speaks to the reality that it is often children, society's most vulnerable members, who are the first victims of violence. As some other reviewers have noted, Sendak's art seems to reference the Holocaust, something that seems eminently appropriate, given the timeless quality of Grimm's tale. Because the time and place are never specified, because the conflict is never named, it could be any time and place, any conflict...

I had been aware of this book's existence for some time, but never seemed to get around to reading it. How glad I am that my friend Chandra prompted me to finally pick it up. I was deeply moved.

[Miketora · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sad story it is! The last of the story,I was very surprised.
The heroine of this story is a little girl .
She was a very good girl and lived with　her mother happily. However the war happened. Her mother decide to conceal her in the forest.
The girl met the old man in the forest. And spend three days with him. And then…
The picture of this book is very beautiful. However this story is very very sad.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall rating: 3.5 (3 for the story, 4 for the art)

I was expecting a fairy tale, but this is so heavily Christian (complete with guardian angels and Saint Joseph), that I would never have guessed it was one of the Grimm stories. Maybe that's because I don't know enough about fairy tales.

Sendak is not one of my favorite illustrators, but the art in this book makes the story. Take away the art, and the story would lose any appeal.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was grim, tho most gorgeously illustrated. A tale of a widowed mother and her last surviving child just as war breaks out. The child, Mili, is sent deep into the forest for safety, being optimistically told to return in 3 days. Enchanted, she returns in30 years. The between is beauty and love. If you can omit the last page, it’s heartwarming. Read it, breaking

[Ronyell · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dear Mili" is a story written by Wilhelm Grimm and illustrated by popular children's author Maurice Sendak that is regarded as being a lost story since we are never introduced to this tale in the original collection of the Brothers Grimm. This tale is about how a widow had to let her daughter go into the fierce wilderness in order to save her from the violence of the war that was raging in that country.

What was so surprising about this book was that this was the only tale from the Brothers Grimm that was written solely by Wilhelm Grimm and rarely used surreal fantasy elements like the Brothers Grimm's other tales such as "Rumpelstiltskin" and "Cinderella." Wilhelm Grimm had made this tale intense yet heartwarming at the same time as the reader feels sympathy for the little girl who is separated from her mother in amidst of a war going on and how the little girl finds help from God in her misfortune. Maurice Sendak's illustrations are once again extremely beautiful as the characters look extremely realistic especially of the images of the golden retriever at the beginning of the book as it looks shiny and beautiful. Also, Maurice Sendak provides the same surreal quality that is prevalent in his book Outside Over There as he draws the trees in a somewhat disturbing way as they look like they are looming over the little girl.

"Dear Mili" is a wonderful book about how a little girl believed in God to guide her way through the dangerous woods and is definitely a treat to read for anyone who is a fan of the Brothers Grimm. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is also another great book about a child being separated from his parents.

[Piya Nag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this story, as well as the illustration. I first read it when I was around 8, and it has a huge impact on my writing style, as well as my idea of love, and life, and friendship, and being alone, till this day.

[Meta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story by Wilhelm Grimm and illustarted by Maurice Sendak. The illustrations are magnificent.
I truly loved reading this Fairy Tale book.

[dianne b. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird, because Grimm. Wondrously exquisite, because Sendak.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Tatar's evaluation of this in Off with Their Heads! Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood I decided to reread this. I didn't like it when my children were young, closer to when it first came out, and I think with good reason. It really is dependent on context, imo, and is not (fortunately!) comprehensible by most children or many parents now. Otoh, it was relevant in the day, a century or two ago when it was told 'round the hearth. And it is gorgeous now, for adults reading on their own.

[Dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creepy. Meh.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 4 out of 5]

As war approaches, Mili's mother grows increasingly concerned about protecting her only, precious child. Sending her into the forest to survive, there is a belief that a guardian angel will look after Milli and keep her safe.

While it seems to Mili that she is only gone three days, in fact it is 30 years.

In the forest she is welcomed by an elderly man, St. Joseph, who shelters her and upon departing to leave for home, he presents her a rose and tells her he will see her again.

When she returns, her mother is now aged.

There are many themes presented in this book, and handled so very masterfully in the hands of a skilled writer such as Sendak. War, separation, aging, death and grief are but a few of the lessons learned in reading this tale.

Like life, there are instances when there is no happy ending.

When asked if his themes were too scary and adult like for children, Sendak replied "Parents shouldn’t assume children are made out of sugar candy and will break and collapse instantly. Kids don’t. We do."

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely gorgeous rendering of a little-known fairy tale. The beautifully lush illustrations pay homage to William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, and yet are unmistakably Maurice Sendak.

The story itself is wonderfully told. Does it end happily? Um, no. It's Grimm. ;)

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok I am really unsure what to think of this book. On one hand the illustrations are gorgeous, on the other hand I do not get this story. I mean I know Wilhelm Grimm stories are usually not all sunshine and rainbows, but rather dark, as was this one. But the whole thing stems from an recently undiscovered Grimm story and letter, where the author writes a little girl and then tells this story. It is about another little girl and her mother who are happy as can be until war comes to the area, and her mother sends her into the forest to hide. She is guided by a guardian angel to a cottage in the woods, where an old man resides and gets her to cook for him, playing during the days with another little girl (another form of the angel). It turns out the old man is Saint Joseph, step-dad of Jesus, and she spends three days with him (only it turns out to be 30 yrs in the real world). She eventually makes her way home where her mother is old and infirm and about to die, but wished for one last glimpse of her daughter. They die together the next day. It just makes me wonder if Wilhelm was drunk or high when he wrote this story. When I finished reading it to my son, we were so confused and I was thinking, "WTF?!?". Recommended for ages 8+, 2 stars.

[jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Wilhelm Grimm and illustrated by Maurice Sendak ‘Dear Mili’ is a short fairytale about a little girl who, when war comes to her village, her mother sends her away to the forest for safety. She is to return after three days…

This is sad, as you might expect, but full of lovely moments as well. There are many references to the Christian religion but at its core it is a story that illustrates the cost of war and the importance of hope, even through faith, when navigating things well outside your own control. And… undoubtedly, the enduring nature of a mothers love.

As with all Grimm tales the pacing leaves something to be desired, and the ending is quite abrupt, but the artwork (sometimes two page spreads) in this particular edition is so moving and beautiful, that I still quite enjoyed every bit of it.

I’d settle it at a ⛤⛤⛤⛤ but know that it’s a ⛤⛤ for the story and ⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤ for the illustrations. I’m really glad I read this, especially because I thought I already had, and it’s a wonderful edition to my home library.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

***SPOILERS***

Reading this again, as a mother, just hits differently. Sendak never shied away from controversy. He believed fairy tales were supposed to be cautionary and terrifying, not sweet and Disney-fied. The first time I read this, I was scandalized by the cherub's genitalia, the mother's callous neglect sending her child into the forest alone in wartime, and the daughter's death in the end.

Now, I see how inherently beautiful it is.

The mother sacrificed. She did the best she could to ensure her daughter's safety. It probably killed her. Having studied the Holocaust a lot since my first read of this, I hear these stories with increasing frequency.

The cherub has genitalia. Fine. We all do. Why are we so prudish?

The daughter dies - but she reunites with her mother, first, and with Saint Joseph later. It was her time. That's okay. It's a full circle, peaceful, tragic moment laced with beauty.

This is probably Sendak's finest work. And I hope my son never understands it the way I now do.

[Allison Paules · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dear Mili: an old tale, by: Wilhelm Grimm
Fairy Tale
Awards: Hans Christian Award
Audience: 1st-5th grade
The main character Mili is a little girl who is well behaved and happy, living with her mother, but war begins and she is left alone in the forest. Mili stays in the forest for three days where she is accompanied by an old man, when the three days are up the Mili returns to her mother where she is an elderly women.
I have never seen or heard any version of this book before. This is probably the most intense fairy tale I have read. It is not a super warm or bubbly kind of fairy tale. This book is about a little girl in a forest without her mom during the war and looks towards God for help. However the illustrations are amazing and are very life-like.
Since this book is more mature and has a lot to comprehend I would have my higher level small groups read this and dissect the book and what it is trying to say.

[Kass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encore une fois, c'est un livre que j'ai emprunté pour pratiquer ma lecture en français, mais je ne m'attendais pas à finir par pleurer à chaudes larmes, en pensant à quel point ma mère me manque. Vivre hors de son pays est déjà difficile, mais avec cette histoire, la blessure est encore plus vive. C'est une histoire très tendre qui, j'imagine, est née précisément de la perte d'une petite fille, une histoire qui a été racontée à l'auteur qui, dans son besoin infini d'aider les autres, a décidé de transformer cette histoire tragique en une idée des retrouvailles tant attendues après une perte.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had picked this little book up from a charity sale last year and it had sat on one of our shelves ever since .. being my girls are 12 and 14 we don’t read many picture books these days. Tonight I plucked this little beauty off the shelf and read it aloud to my eldest whilst she was snuggled in bed… and we both loved it .. she especially enjoyed the illustrations and it was just perfectly Providential for this hard season we find ourselves in. So very glad to have read this and to have the memory with my little dove.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely story, a bit dark but a true fairy tale with beautiful imagery and deep meaning. The writing and illustrations were superb but beware for younger ones that 1) the child and old woman (her mother) die at the end but though it’s implied they go to heaven/get to be with Saint Joseph and 2) the last image of the old woman is quite creepy ~ her eyes are all white and she kind of looks like a zombie 🫣 I might try drawing eyes in it because one child of mine is especially sensitive. But overall we loved it!

[Caitlin Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading a book about Maurice Sendak, I learned that he had several distinct illustrative styles. This book was listed as a good example of one that I hadn't experienced before where he delves into his classical and fine art influences. The story is a tale by one of the Grimm brothers that was undiscovered until 1983 and Sendak's illustrations are gorgeous. Experiencing this book feels like experiencing something important in both art and literary history, especially in light of the personal history of both Grimm and Sendak.

[Dan Shonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This recently discovered Grimm tale is, well, grim. I'm not so sure Grimm wanted it to be discovered. That said, Maurice Sendak uses an ornate style that is certainly Sendak, but not what you probably expect from him. All in all, it's a pretty odd story, but not all that different from other works from Grimm. The story is pretty interesting. . . until the ending. That's when it gets, well, grim. I can't imagine reading this to any of the grandkids.

[Tomi Alger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maurice Sendak illustrated this work by Grimm, which is based Grimm's letter to Mili that also included the story in the book. When a war nears a town, a mother sends her daughter into the forest for safekeeping. There the girls goes to a house where she helps an old man, thinking she is there three days, but it is actually 30 years. I won't reveal the magic of the story. The illustrations are wonderful.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is probably too long for most young children, but it was great for me as an adult. The illustrations are wonderful. I think I love Mili because she looks like my little niece Lily. I'm generally not crazy about religious books, but this was ok. Its based on Brothers Grimm. Its basically a story about a little girl who goes away for three days but it is 30 years for her mother.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't feel like a traditional fairy tale, what with the saints involved. The standout here is really Sendak's illustrations. Probably not one you'd read to a child--this book is almost certainly made for adult fans of the Grimms and Sendak.

(Rated for my personal interest, not the quality of the book or story.)

[Michael Earp · Rating 5 out of 5]

An additional fairy tale from Wilhelm Grimm discovered in 1983, masterfully illustrated by Maurice Sendak. The story itself is a grim one *boom-tish* but the preface to it that begins with "Dear Mili" is beautiful. And Sendak's lush surrealism is just wonderful.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively recent find (1983) of one of the Grimm Brothers' fables and the pictures by Maurice Sendak are priceless. Of course, it has a sad ending because it has not been sanitized by Disney yet, but a very satisfying read that I keep going back to.

[R. G. Nairam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yikes™