Saturday, October 24, 2009

Hansel and Gretel:The Graphic Novel & Other Retold Fairy Tales by Graphic Spin (Stone Arch Books)

I found this graphic novel reviewed at The Graphic Classroom and though it came out last year it's very appropriate for the end of Hansel & Gretel week.

Here are a couple of excerpts from the review, which is aimed particularly at teachers and parents:
I always wondered: (as a child reading/or being told the story of Hansel & Gretel) could this happen to me, too? How would I survive if I were left alone to my own devices? Which brings me to this graphic novel version of the classic tale and I can say that this Stone Arch version, adapted by Donald Lemke and illustrated by Sean Dietrich, is strange and odd and creepy in every way you would want the story to be. HANSEL AND GRETEL make good use of the graphic novel format as we see the fragility of the situation etched on the faces of the kids.
...One huge bonus to the Stone Arch fairy tale collection is that in the back of the book, there is a nice overview of where and how the story originated (in this case, the Grimm Brothers may have heard the story of Hansel and Gretel from a woman named Henriette Dorothea Wild, Germany, in the 1800s). The book also features three discussion questions, three writing prompts and then urges readers to explore more about the story on their own. These additions are a nice touch for teachers and students using graphic novels in the classroom.
You can read the rest of the review which looks at the content, the artwork and the suitability for children and for use in the classroom HERE.

The book is by Stone Arch Books graphic novel arm, Graphic Spin, and is one of a series of retold fairy tales. (You can find out more about Graphic Spin and their Fall 2009 releases HERE.) Below are all the fairy tale covers I could find. You can find the amazon list - which includes the Spanish versions - HERE. There is also a complete set available through Stone Arch Books and Amazon.Personally, I love the range of illustrative styles and non-traditional (or non-Disney-esque) representations of the characters and stories. I'm putting a couple on my wishlist to check out the writing and interior .

Hansel and Gretel: The Graphic Novel is available at Amazon HERE.

3 comments:

  1. Personally, I love the range of illustrative styles and non-traditional (or non-Disney-esque) representations of the characters and stories. I'm putting a couple on my wishlist to check out the writing and interior.
    You said it perfectly! So all I can add is, "Ditto!"

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  2. Me, too!
    These are so awesome. But which one first!

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  3. I freaking loved the Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel these books are AWSOME!!!

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