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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Lake Elmo Library | EASY ZEL | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | PICTURE BOOK ZEL | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Richly hued oil paintings complement a story simply and gracefully told."Children...love the story for its mystery, and its familiarity. Adults will find that, like most classic fairy tales, this one rewards periodic rethinking." -- New York Times Book Review "Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light." -- School Library Journal
Author Notes
Jacob Ludwig Karl , the elder of the brothers Grimm, was born in 1785, and Wilhelm Karl in the following year. They both studied at Marburg, and from 1808 to 1829 mainly worked in Kassel as state-appointed librarians, Jacob also assisting in diplomatic missions between 1813 and 1815 and again in 1848. Both brothers had been professors at G ttingen for several years when in 1837 they became two of the seven leading G ttingen academics dismissed from their posts by the new King of Hanover for their liberal political views. In 1840 they were invited by Frederick William IV of Prussia to settle in Berlin as members of the Academy of Sciences, and here they remained until their deaths (Wilhelm died in 1859 and Jacob in 1863).Paul Zelinsky was born in Evanston, Illinois. He attended Yale University, where he took a course with Maurice Sendak, which later inspired him to pursue a career in children's books. Afterwards he received a graduate degree in painting from Tyler School of Art, in Philadelphia and Rome. Paul Zelinsky lives in New York with his wife, Deborah, and the younger of their two daughters.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4 Zelinsky's painterly style and rich colors provide an evocative backdrop to this story. The medieval setting and costumes and the spools of gold thread which shine on the page like real gold are suggestive of an illuminated manuscript. Without overpowering the text, the illustrations give depth and background, providing exquisite texture and detail: the castle interior; subtle facial expressions; the forboding landscape when Rumplestiltskin is overheard to reveal his name. The imp himself is deeply fascinating, with his birdlike features, tiny agile body, and Rackhamesque hands and feet. This retelling is based on the 1819 Grimm version. Zelinsky's ending, in which Rumplestiltskin flies away on his wooden spoon, is a departure from the source, wherein he stomps one foot deep in the ground, grabbing the other foot and tearing himself in half. Galdone's Rumpelstiltskin (Clarion, 1985), with its French Renaissance setting and pot-bellied unshaven imp, has a comic, earthy flavor. Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light. Susan H. Patron, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
One of the most exquisite picture books of the season, Zelinsky's Rumplestiltskin will have strong appeal for children and for adult picture-book collectors alike. The artist has illustrated numerous award-winners, including Hansel and Gretel (a Caldecott Honor Book) and The Story of Mrs. Lovewright and Purrless Her Cat (a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year). Here Zelinsky has retold the narrative himself; he has captured the magic and frightening wonder of the tale while incorporating elements from a number of 19th century Grimm versions. The spare story flows beautifully, and the illustrations are extraordinary. Incredibly detailed full-color paintings show the influence of careful study of styles and techniques of European portrait and landscape painters. In Hansel and Gretel, the tale's dark side was communicated principally through Zelinsky's depiction of a powerful and frightening background. But here the interior scenesheaps and heaps of straw, and baskets of empty spindles, with rooms suddenly full of golden threadcarry the story. The little man Rumplestiltskin is by turns mysterious, comforting, devious, furious and pathetic. And Zelinsky shows dramatically the love that the miller's daughter has for her child, and the terror she feels when she realizes she may have to give him up. Rumplestiltskin is a tour de force by an immensely talented artist. Zelinsky is that rare practitioner who can create sophisticated work that adults will marvel at, and that children will joyfully embrace. (5-up) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
After comparing several of the original Grimm variants, Zelinsky has selected and retold to make his own version. Graceful and lucid, it differs from the familiar in having the imp overheard crowing about his name by a servant rather than by the king, and by having him ride about and ultimately depart forever on a cooking spoon, a non-violent conclusion. Zelinaky's illustrations are opulently painted, full of classical architectural detail, fantastic distant landscapes, and that early use of perspective which gives a raked stage effect. Rumpelstiltskin is a bug-eyed, spindle-legged Machiavelli of an imp, dressed as a courtier. The miller's daughter/queen has the face of a madonna, although her expressions are contemporary enough to interest modern children in her plight. The king (not a savory character, since he was prepared to murder his wife if she failed to spin straw into gold) stays in the background. A distinguished edition of one of Grimm's favorite tales. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Ages 4-7. Zelinsky's jeweled tones and precise medieval backgrounds make this a particularly handsome rendering of the classic fairy tale. (S 1 86)
