Children's Book Reviews
Page Three of ThreeSleeping Beauty Retold by Adele Geras, Illustrations by Christian Brimingham
Orchard Books, April, 2004Picture Book, 64 pages
ISBN: 043958180X
Ages 7-10
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Adele Geras imbues this classic fairy tale with new life in this
beautiful edition, illustrated by Christian Birmingham. The King and
Queen throw a banquet for their baby daughter Aurora, but
don't invite the touchy fairy Skura. Skura gatecrashes the party
and curses Aurora to be pricked by a spindle and die when she
is sixteen. But a kind fairy softens the curse to a hundred years'
sleep. Aurora grows up to be a talented and courageous young
woman, but cannot escape the curse, falling into a deep sleep
after an encounter with a disguised Skura. And so the entire kingdom
slumbers for a century until
a handsome prince arrives to awaken Aurora and lift the curse.
Adele Geras has a lively storytelling style which makes the narrative read more like a classic fantasy tale than a young child's bedtime story. Princess Aurora has an interesting personality: she loves to read and to swordfight, just as much as she loves dressing up in fabulous gowns and dancing till dawn. She is a fearless and compelling heroine, with real spunk. The story is illustrated in Christian Birmingham's charcoal drawings and lush paintings which perfectly capture the elegance and beauty of the royal court. This version of Sleeping Beauty will delight children, as well as adult collectors of fairy tales.
Tales From Shakespeare by Tina Packer
Scholastic, April, 2004Hardcover, 192 pages
ISBN: 0439321077
Ages 9 and up
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Tina Packer, the President and Artistic Director of
Shakespeare and Company, has done a heroic job of
summarizing Shakespeare's intricate plots and
characterizations. She begins with a short summary of
the plot of each of the plays, followed by a list of the
main players and a note on the setting. What distinguishes
this effort from the much appreciated efforts of Charles
and Mary Lamb in the nineteenth century is that Ms.
Packer deftly inserts well-chosen dialogue from the
play and intertwines it in the summary of the action.
This has the effect not only of giving the reader the pleasure
of some of the play's most memorable lines, but it aids in
defining the character as well. Whereas Charles and Mary
Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare was difficult and tiresome
reading for young readers and no doubt failed with many
young minds, Ms. Parker's efforts have a much more likely prognosis
for success. Her profound knowledge and extensive experience
in working with the young have guided her into a presentation
of our most beloved literature that makes the plays approachable
and understandable.
Tales From Shakespeare is a stunningly beautiful book. Each play chosen has been illustrated by a different artist, and the interpretations of the main characters are each unique in their own way. Gale de Marcken illustrates A Midsummer Night's Dream with a magical, dreamlike composite portrait of Titania reaching out to a beautiful, sweet faced donkey (Bottom), while surrounded by tiny fairies and flowers. By contrast, Barry Moser's haunting, dark, face of Macbeth evokes a sense of impending evil. Kadir Nelson's brooding and troubled portrait of Othello sets the tone of looming tragedy. These unforgettable illustrations will linger in the mind of the reader long after the story has been read.
Although the very best way to experience Shakespeare's hold on all of us is to act out the plays and speak the lines, reading this beautiful book should be an inspiring introduction to the plays that have come to mean so much to all the world. Tales From Shakespeare, written by a woman who has spent a lifetime acting and educating others about the great truths found in the plays of Shakespeare, is an excellent choice for a young reader.
-Sarah Reaves White
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