Hansel & Gretel
PreSchool-Grade 4–A lushly illustrated rendition of the classic tale. In his preface, Moses acknowledges the dark aspects of the story and uses descriptive words like harangued and vicious tirade to convey clearly why the poor father capitulates to his wifes terrible plan of abandoning the children. He also has the stepmother tie down a sapling to thump against a hollow tree, mimicking the noise of a woodcutter cutting trees, and the children mistakenly believe that their father is nearby. Mosess signature colorful folk art, done in oil on fabriano paper, effectively conveys the flavor of 19th-century German landscapes, houses, and furnishings. Unfortunately, although the text states that the family lived in a little cottage, the illustrations depict a large, well-furnished home. Additionally, the tiny and static expressions of the children communicate poorly the powerful emotions reflective of their ordeal. In contrast, Paul Zelinskys illustrations in Rika Lessers retelling (Putnam, 1989) poignantly portray the children, demonstrating how integral their expressions are in developing the fear and tension that permeate the tale. In a final addition, Moses feels compelled to reassure his listeners, Sleep well tonight, and dont let this old story give you a fright. Your parents love you dear and will never let harm come near! An additional purchase.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.