Lesser,Rika. Hansel and Gretel. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1984.
This classic tale about a poor woodcutter’s family dates back to the early 1800s. The two children, Hansel and Gretel, are left in the forest, abandoned by their parents. Eventually they come upon a house made of candy that is occupied by a little old witch. Not long after that the children realize that the witch plans to eat them for dinner. The witch is ultimately destroyed by the children. Hansel and Gretel finally find their way home and live happily ever after.
This story has been retold over and over again, but this particular version was based on the original transcription of the story in 1810. The illustrations in the story depict the setting and the characters accurately. The illustrations are made up of beautiful oil paintings in an impressionistic style that really help to display the intricate details and the realism of the pictures. The illustrations are huge compared to the size of the text and this suggests that the pictures are more important than the words; the pictures alone could tell the story. The colors in the illustrations are realistic and somewhat dreamlike. The colors range from a dark forest evoking somber, helpless emotions, to a house made of candy that seems to emit light and signify hope and happiness. This story does an excellent job of creating a story through vivid, realistic paintings. The story also teaches children values such as courage and bravery that they can apply to their own lives.
Other Sources: Galda, Lee and Bernice E. Cullinan. Literature and the Child. 5th ed. Wadsworth, 2002.
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1 comment:
This is a suggestion for everyone: sometimes it makes sense to talk about an artist's "interpretation", rather than "accuracy". (Accurate implies that there's a model or verifiable standard for comparison.)
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