Snow White

By Wilhelm Grimm and Jacob Grimm

Book Overview

Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316354511
• ISBN13: 9780316354516
• Release Date: September 1979
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.9" x 0.1" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Two Beautiful Ladies--But inside or Outside?

Snow White is beautiful. Too beautiful. At least that is the feeling of the queen who is beautiful, too, but insists on being MOST beautiful in the kingdom. And Snow White, without even trying, is becoming more beautiful as time goes on. "So, there is only one thing to do," thinks the jealous queen: "kill Snow White." But try as she might, again and again, Snow White lives on. "Curses," thinks the queen, "there must be a way." [Picture book suitable for the primary through intermediate grades.]

A nice twist to the fairy tale

This is the well-known story of a princess whose evil stepmother tries to have her killed. The huntsmen could not go through with it and tells Snow White to run away. When she does she finds herself in the company of seven small men. They live in a house very happily until the queen finds that Snow White is not dead. She finds Snow White and tricks her into eating a poisoned apple. Snow White dies. She is awoken from her death by the kiss of a prince and they live happily ever after. The reason I enjoyed this version of Snow White more than others that I have read was that is was not as much of a fairy tail like story and more of a darker approach to it. The seven dwarfs, for example, are not shown as happy little creatures that sing and dance all day long. They are merely shown as small, kind men. The illustrations in this book are so beautiful even though they are not the bright colors that would usually go along with this story.

Snow White

Parents looking for a good edition of "Snow White" need look no further than this one by Paul Heins and Trina Schart Hyman. One day a beautiful, yet proud and arrogant, queen stands before her magic mirror and asks: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is most beautiful in the land?" Instead of replying as usual that she is the beautifulest, the mirror informs the queen that her stepdaughter, Snow White, has now surpassed her in beauty. Driven by envy and anger, the queen orders a hunter to take the girl into the woods to be killed. He decides to spare her life and presents the liver and lungs of a boar to the queen instead of Snow White's. Meanwhile Snow White takes shelter in the house of the seven dwarfs. The scene when the dwarfs return home is reminiscent of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" with the dwarfs asking "Who has taken some of my bread?", "Who has been using my little fork?", and discovering the girl asleep in one of the beds. They allow her to stay. When the queen discovers Snow White is still alive, she tries to get rid of her in a variety of ways: bodice laces that cut one's breath, a poisoned comb and finally a poisoned apple. The fairy tale obviously has a happy ending. There are two scenes in the tale that parents or children might find disturbing. One is when the queen cooks and eats the liver and lungs, thinking they are Snow White's. Second, at the end, when the wicked queen is made to dance in red hot shoes until she falls dead. Other than that the story is well told and the illustrations are magnificent---detailed with rich and vivid colors. I especially liked the one where the queen, disguised as a peddler, is tying Snow White's bodice laces. A wonderul story to add to your child's collection.

The Perfect Snow White

I read this book when I was seven years old and have never forgotten it. Having been raised with Disney, I had never known what a real fairy tale was . . . at least, not the original tales. This book tells the story the way it ought to be told. I think that I can honestly say that this book started me on my love of fantasy novels and folk literature.