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Classic Fairy Tales
This exquisitely illustrated, large format gift book features ten of the most enduring fairy tales of all time. The stories, chosen and edited by the artist, are a balance of 'princess' classics and frolicking adventure tales.
Artist Scott Gustafson spent more than four years creating the seventy-five rich oil paintings, reproduced here in full color. His style is reminiscent of N.C. Wyeth and Wyeth;s gifted student Jessie Wilcox Smith (plus a touch of Arthur Rackham in the fairies). The rounded-face, glowing children and charming interiors contribute to Gustafson?s unique and contemporary style, which will capture the hearts of even the most hard-boiled media-savvy child.
Artist Scott Gustafson spent more than four years creating the seventy-five rich oil paintings, reproduced here in full color. His style is reminiscent of N.C. Wyeth and Wyeth;s gifted student Jessie Wilcox Smith (plus a touch of Arthur Rackham in the fairies). The rounded-face, glowing children and charming interiors contribute to Gustafson?s unique and contemporary style, which will capture the hearts of even the most hard-boiled media-savvy child.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
31 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Scott Gustafson
32 books37 followersScott Gustafson has had the opportunity to illustrate a number of archetypal children’s books such as Peter Pan, Nutcracker, Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose, and Classic Fairy Tales, the last two titles published by Artisan. In 2011, he tried his hand at writing and illustrating, and his first novel, Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe, was published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Children.
Scott's latest title, Classic Bedtime Stories, is published by Artisan.
In addition, Scott has worked on film projects for DreamWorks and PDI and has created character designs for the animated TV show, "Chugginton."
His illustrations also appear in limited-edition prints published by The Greenwich Workshop and on collector plates, greeting cards, and gift wrap.
Scott's latest title, Classic Bedtime Stories, is published by Artisan.
In addition, Scott has worked on film projects for DreamWorks and PDI and has created character designs for the animated TV show, "Chugginton."
His illustrations also appear in limited-edition prints published by The Greenwich Workshop and on collector plates, greeting cards, and gift wrap.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 1, 2020
It’s been such an absolute joy sharing this book with my 6-year-old daughter. What a gift to hear her ask, “Mom, can we read another fairy tale?” This book is absolutely gorgeous—sharing beautiful illustrations along with ten, best-loved fairy tales. Some of our favorites include Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and Cinderella.
We’ve purchased many fairy tale anthologies over the years, but these books illustrated by Scott Gustafson are truly the crème de la crème. He is one of our favorite illustrators of all time, and these paintings really are what makes this book such a gem. Don’t get me wrong; the tales are great too, but it’s the enchanting illustrations that truly captivate, outclassing the other books we own.
This book belongs on every child’s bookshelf. My only wish is that we had found it sooner. We ended up purchasing two other volumes of children’s literature to make a set—all over-sized, including illustrations by Scott Gustafson and others. Hopefully the second volume of fairy tales will be released in hardcover.
5-stars
We’ve purchased many fairy tale anthologies over the years, but these books illustrated by Scott Gustafson are truly the crème de la crème. He is one of our favorite illustrators of all time, and these paintings really are what makes this book such a gem. Don’t get me wrong; the tales are great too, but it’s the enchanting illustrations that truly captivate, outclassing the other books we own.
This book belongs on every child’s bookshelf. My only wish is that we had found it sooner. We ended up purchasing two other volumes of children’s literature to make a set—all over-sized, including illustrations by Scott Gustafson and others. Hopefully the second volume of fairy tales will be released in hardcover.
5-stars
September 22, 2022
This is an over-sized children's book containing ten fairy tales that have been edited to the bone. Past the bone, in fact. As a consequence, the work has lost its "moral of the story" thrust - which is the reason we relay fairy tales in the first place. Gustafson is an illustrator by trade, and has chosen to set his art above his material. The art is lovely. The artist is quite skilled. But these aren't fairy tales anymore. Now they're a collection of pretty pictures.
October 23, 2020
The first volume of Classic Fairy Tales contains five fairy tales: Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, The Frog Prince, Little Red Riding Hood, and Cinderella. I love Gustafson's painterly style and that he gets inspired by the old masters of illustration for his scenes. The illustrations for Snow and Rumple were my favourites.
March 26, 2020
Positively gorgeous illustrations! Each page is a sight to behold. Your children will have plenty of imagery to take in as they hear these classic tales.
Each story is roughly 12 - 18 pages long and would take about 10 minutes to read, making this a nice bedtime option.
Ages: 6 - 10
Cleanliness: "Heck", "oh heavens", and "oh, good heavens" are said. Witchcraft in particular is mentioned and there is a picture of a witch with skulls, a brewing pot and potions. People are called "fools" a few times. Tobacco and snuff are mentioned.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
Each story is roughly 12 - 18 pages long and would take about 10 minutes to read, making this a nice bedtime option.
Ages: 6 - 10
Cleanliness: "Heck", "oh heavens", and "oh, good heavens" are said. Witchcraft in particular is mentioned and there is a picture of a witch with skulls, a brewing pot and potions. People are called "fools" a few times. Tobacco and snuff are mentioned.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
November 25, 2020
Para niños. Son cuentos clásicos de toda la vida pero merece la pena solo por las ilustraciones. Son preciosas, con miles de detalles en cada página y un aire vintage encantador.
June 10, 2020
80/100 (= 4.5/6) ≈ 4 Stars
September 2, 2024
I read this over the summer as part of our fairytale summer. We did themed snacks for some of the weeks and watched as many fairytale movies as we could. I also had the opportunity to take the girls to see Beauty and the Beast at the theatre and the library as a marionette show. Good memories!
March 19, 2012
We never really grow old, do we? Some of my favorite books are those really meant for children, but hopefully that just means I was born young. Or then again, it might have something to do with the fantastic artistry for which a child's book is highlighted. With this book, the reader doesn't just get the basic fairy tale collection, the real gift is in the art by Scott Gustafson. These are N.C. Wyeth-like, as though drawn back in the heyday of American illustration.
There are standouts throughout the book, but for me it's Goldilocks and the Three Bears, mainly for the picture drawn of the bears finding the young girl in junior's bed. The stern face of Papa Bear in his Victorian clothing, hands-on-hips, is one I will always treasure. He looks like a gentler version of Bill Sykes. Anyone who can bring a fabled animal to such life deserves five stars.
Book Season = Year Round
There are standouts throughout the book, but for me it's Goldilocks and the Three Bears, mainly for the picture drawn of the bears finding the young girl in junior's bed. The stern face of Papa Bear in his Victorian clothing, hands-on-hips, is one I will always treasure. He looks like a gentler version of Bill Sykes. Anyone who can bring a fabled animal to such life deserves five stars.
Book Season = Year Round
October 12, 2019
Love this collection of classic fairy tales. This book is over sized and the illustrations are gorgeous. Not the watered down Disney versions but also not the original ones that are dark. Writing is lovely and age appropriate for children. Must have for every family.
September 1, 2016
A nice collection of some of the standard Top 20 fairy tales. Illustrations are enchanting.
June 4, 2020
Arte total
July 26, 2021
Chosen because I wanted to see more art by Gustafson. And I was not disappointed. I think my favorite illustration is Tom Thumb taking a bath in an ornately carved mug.
I like that these are indeed classic tales, none stolen from Andersen or Wilde. I like that they're very slightly enriched from the most common versions, giving a little bit of explanation to what's what and why. I like having several of the most famous stories in one collection so your child can indeed learn of our western cultural heritage.
I still don't like animals in clothes, and of course I don't like the lack of diversity.
And so I hope that your children don't love only these tales. I would have loved this as a child, as I loved fairy tales and pretty pictures... but thinking only about princesses etc. did not do me any good. I owned The Red Fairy Book, read it over & over again, and was awfully disappointed to learn that no matter how good & sweet & brave I grew to be, I'd never meet a prince among men.
Add this to a good family library; don't use it as the foundation, much less as the only book needed at home.
I like that these are indeed classic tales, none stolen from Andersen or Wilde. I like that they're very slightly enriched from the most common versions, giving a little bit of explanation to what's what and why. I like having several of the most famous stories in one collection so your child can indeed learn of our western cultural heritage.
I still don't like animals in clothes, and of course I don't like the lack of diversity.
And so I hope that your children don't love only these tales. I would have loved this as a child, as I loved fairy tales and pretty pictures... but thinking only about princesses etc. did not do me any good. I owned The Red Fairy Book, read it over & over again, and was awfully disappointed to learn that no matter how good & sweet & brave I grew to be, I'd never meet a prince among men.
Add this to a good family library; don't use it as the foundation, much less as the only book needed at home.
November 3, 2017
The promise of beautiful illustrations paired with some of the most popular classic fairy tales is why I was so eager to rush home and read this to my child. Although he's a bit on the younger side to appreciate such things, I wasn't disappointed. The illustrations were everything the cover promised: detailed, well-crafted, thoughtful, colorful, and imaginative. I only had one reservation about the book as a whole and it was that the writing was good (enough), but it can't compare to some of the other classic fairy tale retellers out there and so I felt the beauty of the writing did not necessarily match the beauty of the pictures. Would this stop me from buying this edition again? No. Before I purchased this edition, I had already mentally prepared myself for this potential outcome and resolved that I was more interested in the illustrator than the writer. Also, the merit of the writer probably won't bother many others, if I had to guess, since this is based off my personal preferences rather than any professionally influenced critique (I am not a professional; that's why I put "influenced").
October 19, 2022
I don't know where I got this from. It must have been a gift from a family member at some time. I've had it for years but only now just read.
The art is great, but the stories are definitely not the greatest versions. Still, very quick easy reads appropriate for children. The real value is the art though. Each is wonderful and adds to these very familiar classic tales.
The art is great, but the stories are definitely not the greatest versions. Still, very quick easy reads appropriate for children. The real value is the art though. Each is wonderful and adds to these very familiar classic tales.
January 26, 2024
Gustafson’s illustrations are lovely, and his fairytale retellings well done. The vocabulary is rich, and the tales were a delight to read aloud with my girls. I plan to look into his other collections now and will likely add more to our home library!
September 26, 2017
Absolutely beautiful and enchanting illustrations!
January 4, 2019
fun beautiful pictures.
April 27, 2020
We love this book around here. My daughter can't get enough of it and the illustrations are beautiful.
November 11, 2020
The illustrations are timeless and a joy to behold.
October 28, 2022
One of my favorite illustrators!
December 16, 2022
One of my favorite illustrators. Easy to read and engaging book gives classic fairy tales just the touch it needs for today’s young readers.
July 25, 2024
Stunning Artwork!
September 17, 2024
One of my son's favorite books, as we can read the same stories every time or find a new one, with lovely illustrations to boot.
October 30, 2024
I will never be a fan of fairy tales, no matter how many defenses I read, but this collection isn't (quite) as dark and there are stunning illustrations to fill your mind instead.
January 13, 2025
This book is like an art gallery for your lap. Beautiful illustrations and text brought us through our fairytale summer very well. 💛
March 30, 2025
My daughter and I love all the stories and illustrations in this book! Well done!
November 30, 2025
Illustrations are memorizing and these classic fairy tales are retold with robust, rich vocabulary.
June 24, 2019
The classic fairy tales found in this book are;
Goldilocks and The Three Bears
Puss In Boots
Little Red Ridding Hood
Snow White
Tom Thumb
Hansel and Gretel
The Frog Prince
Rumpelstiltskin
Cinderella
Three Little Pigs
The 10 story tales found in this book are all very wonderful, but also a much darker version of the stories than the sugar coated Disney versions children are typically used to. I love that they depict more of a real life concept of how things used to be. For example Hansel and Gretel the children's family were starving to death, so the step mother decides to convince their father to leave them in the woods so that they will not come back home and the parents will have a greater chance of survival without them. Snow white, the girl still runs away to a home with 7 dwarfs, but instead of just one visit from the wicked stepmother there are 3. She is warned by the dwarfs not to talk to or let strangers inside of their home, but she still does not listen. In all of these stories there are lessons to be learned. Even if the wording is a little more harsh and "old timely" than children are used to.
The illustrations in each story are wonderful! They really captured my daughters attention and helped her to immerse herself in the stories. They all have so much detail from the rosy red cheeks of the Princesses, to the Witch's cottage made of candy, and Tom Thumb riding his mouse in his royal clothing. The stories just wouldn't be the same without all of the wonderful pictures found throughout this book.
I would recommend this book for younger children, but I would say that they will more than likely need your help to read and understand most of these stories as some of the vocab used might be a little too difficult for them.
Goldilocks and The Three Bears
Puss In Boots
Little Red Ridding Hood
Snow White
Tom Thumb
Hansel and Gretel
The Frog Prince
Rumpelstiltskin
Cinderella
Three Little Pigs
The 10 story tales found in this book are all very wonderful, but also a much darker version of the stories than the sugar coated Disney versions children are typically used to. I love that they depict more of a real life concept of how things used to be. For example Hansel and Gretel the children's family were starving to death, so the step mother decides to convince their father to leave them in the woods so that they will not come back home and the parents will have a greater chance of survival without them. Snow white, the girl still runs away to a home with 7 dwarfs, but instead of just one visit from the wicked stepmother there are 3. She is warned by the dwarfs not to talk to or let strangers inside of their home, but she still does not listen. In all of these stories there are lessons to be learned. Even if the wording is a little more harsh and "old timely" than children are used to.
The illustrations in each story are wonderful! They really captured my daughters attention and helped her to immerse herself in the stories. They all have so much detail from the rosy red cheeks of the Princesses, to the Witch's cottage made of candy, and Tom Thumb riding his mouse in his royal clothing. The stories just wouldn't be the same without all of the wonderful pictures found throughout this book.
I would recommend this book for younger children, but I would say that they will more than likely need your help to read and understand most of these stories as some of the vocab used might be a little too difficult for them.
November 25, 2025
The book description doesn’t tell you much about this book, but I will. There are ten stories: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Tom Thumb, Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince, Rumplestiltskin, Cinderella, and the Three Little Pigs. If you are looking for a quality retelling with incredible illustrations, this is the book. I wanted to share the classic fairy tales with my children, told in a more faithful way than some of the retellings to younger kids, but still with happy endings. The stories are on the longer side, with beautiful wording, but the real masterpiece of the collection is the illustrations. They really are beautiful and quality.
I enjoyed this book so much, I bought the whole collection of Scott Gustofson’s children’s books.
I enjoyed this book so much, I bought the whole collection of Scott Gustofson’s children’s books.
December 6, 2011
I cannot write highly enough about Scott Gustafson. Not only is he one of the greatest artists of our generation, but he is also a really kind and considerate man. A few months ago I stumbled across his work online and was absolutely amazed; his illustrations are both magical and incredibly realistic (a difficult combination when painting the likes of dragons, etc). I instantly sent him a gushing email telling him how talented and amazing he is (in true art-groupie fashion) and he actually wrote me an email back. He must be so busy but he visited my website and sent me the most lovely, positive, and encouraging words about my art. I nearly fainted.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews