Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Toon Books (2014), Hardcover, 48 pages
Description
Two abandoned children come upon a gingerbread cottage inhabited by a cruel witch who wants to eat them.
User reviews
LibraryThing member maggie1944
It is the Hansel and Gretel story I remember from when I was a kid. The old lady in the forest was quite evil, and the kids defeat her. Art work is not to my taste, but is remarkable.
LibraryThing member ColeReadsBooks
Another haunting, interesting fairy tale adaptation from the mind of Neil Gaiman
Synopsis:
The story is already one you know, two young children live with their parents in the woods, their parents are struggling to afford food and so have no choice but to send their children to fend for themselves.
Review:
This is going to be a fairly short review as I'm not really sure what to say about it, a difficult one to review! It’s a really enjoyable book, however I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. I read both Hansel and Gretel and The Sleeper and the Spindle in one sitting, (to see my review of that click here!) and The Sleeper and the Spindle to me seemed so much more fascinating. Neil Gaiman’s trademark spin that he puts on things does not seem to be in this story, comparing with his Sleeping Beauty adaptation, Hansel and Gretel sticks mainly to the original story. Despite this it’s still an enjoyable read, and if you plan on buying The Sleeper and the Spindle, then I recommend you get both because they’re a lovely set.
One thing I did rather appreciate about this version of the story was the illustrations. Dark and shadowy, Mattotti does a great job adding another layer to the story and giving it a real eerie fairy tale feel. They may not be to everyone’s taste, but I thought they were a very interesting addition to the novel.
Like The Sleeper and the Spindle, the book is packaged beautifully and is a fun, interesting read. I also found a particularly interesting little addition in the publishers timeline of Hansel and Gretel at the end of book, fascinating if you’re curious about where the story came from and how it’s changed from generation to generation.
It’s dark, fun and interesting, but if you’re no stranger to the story then don’t expect anything too different to what you've heard before, but overall a lovely, beautifully illustrated little book.
Synopsis:
The story is already one you know, two young children live with their parents in the woods, their parents are struggling to afford food and so have no choice but to send their children to fend for themselves.
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They encounter a house made of gingerbread and the old lady who lives there offers to take them in, but she isn’t the sweet woman they think she is, but instead an evil witch who wants to eat them.Review:
This is going to be a fairly short review as I'm not really sure what to say about it, a difficult one to review! It’s a really enjoyable book, however I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. I read both Hansel and Gretel and The Sleeper and the Spindle in one sitting, (to see my review of that click here!) and The Sleeper and the Spindle to me seemed so much more fascinating. Neil Gaiman’s trademark spin that he puts on things does not seem to be in this story, comparing with his Sleeping Beauty adaptation, Hansel and Gretel sticks mainly to the original story. Despite this it’s still an enjoyable read, and if you plan on buying The Sleeper and the Spindle, then I recommend you get both because they’re a lovely set.
One thing I did rather appreciate about this version of the story was the illustrations. Dark and shadowy, Mattotti does a great job adding another layer to the story and giving it a real eerie fairy tale feel. They may not be to everyone’s taste, but I thought they were a very interesting addition to the novel.
Like The Sleeper and the Spindle, the book is packaged beautifully and is a fun, interesting read. I also found a particularly interesting little addition in the publishers timeline of Hansel and Gretel at the end of book, fascinating if you’re curious about where the story came from and how it’s changed from generation to generation.
It’s dark, fun and interesting, but if you’re no stranger to the story then don’t expect anything too different to what you've heard before, but overall a lovely, beautifully illustrated little book.
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LibraryThing member ecataldi
I think I was expecting a little MORE, but then again, this is a kid's book. Pages alternate between spine tingly black and white illustrations and Neil Gaiman's version of Hansel and Gretel. He doesn't add any new twists or tricks to the story, it's the classic Grimm version we all grew up with.
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That being said it's still a great read for children who are interested in folk tales. This isn't necessarily anything to write home about, the illustrations are good, the story is good, but it's nothing new or exciting. In the back of the book there is a brief blurb on the oral and written history of Hansel and Gretel with a little bibliography. Alright, but not amazing. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
This is another one of the few Gaiman books I have not read. It’s a fairly straightforward retelling of Hansel and Gretel with some abstract black and white artwork to accompany the tale.
This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel that stays pretty true to the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. So
The whole tale is told in Gaiman’s wonderful prose, so there is excellent description and the book sounds very good read outloud. It has a very fairy tale feel to it and the story really comes alive.
I also enjoyed that Gaiman provides a little background on the war that caused the famine. It’s an interesting look at life in that era and takes the glamour out of war. I think it was a good thing for my son to hear about what war can do to the people in the warring country (sometimes I think battles and wars are a bit glamorized for kids).
The artwork is very abstract and all in black in white. It fit the mood of the story well. It also gave me and my son a chance to look at and discuss more abstract types of art, something he doesn’t see often.
I also really enjoyed the afterward. The afterward goes into the origins of Hansel and Gretel and the various incarnations of that folktale, something I love learning about.
Overall an excellent retelling of Hansel and Gretel with moody abstract artwork to accompany it. I loved some of the background provided on the famine Hansel and Gretel live through and really enjoyed the Afterward about the origins of this folktale.
This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel that stays pretty true to the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. So
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Hansel and Gretel do get abandoned by their parents because of famine, Hansel does get imprisoned and fattened up, and the old woman does want to roast and eat the children. The only reason I mention all of this is because it might be a little much for really young kids, my seven year old didn’t have any problem with the story when I read it to him though.The whole tale is told in Gaiman’s wonderful prose, so there is excellent description and the book sounds very good read outloud. It has a very fairy tale feel to it and the story really comes alive.
I also enjoyed that Gaiman provides a little background on the war that caused the famine. It’s an interesting look at life in that era and takes the glamour out of war. I think it was a good thing for my son to hear about what war can do to the people in the warring country (sometimes I think battles and wars are a bit glamorized for kids).
The artwork is very abstract and all in black in white. It fit the mood of the story well. It also gave me and my son a chance to look at and discuss more abstract types of art, something he doesn’t see often.
I also really enjoyed the afterward. The afterward goes into the origins of Hansel and Gretel and the various incarnations of that folktale, something I love learning about.
Overall an excellent retelling of Hansel and Gretel with moody abstract artwork to accompany it. I loved some of the background provided on the famine Hansel and Gretel live through and really enjoyed the Afterward about the origins of this folktale.
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LibraryThing member amanda4242
Great illustrations, but the story was so generic I don't why Gaiman was given a writing credit.
LibraryThing member Goldengrove
Beautiful, dark, creepy. This is a perfect blending of writer and illustrator, and the pictures are really part of the storytelling.
Gaiman returns to the older, darker version of the tale in which the children's parents both agree that they must be abandoned to give the parents a chance of
Gaiman returns to the older, darker version of the tale in which the children's parents both agree that they must be abandoned to give the parents a chance of
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surviving. Chilling. Show Less
LibraryThing member cblaker
Great illustrations. This interpretation is dark, literally and figuratively. The reader should take their time and examine each drawing for the details that are easily lost in the darkness.
In this book the step-mother is the actual mother and is mildly more sympathetic. Other than is chance the
In this book the step-mother is the actual mother and is mildly more sympathetic. Other than is chance the
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story is the traditional one were familiar with. The major difference are the well-executed illustrations. Show Less
LibraryThing member paula-childrenslib
Two abandoned children come upon a gingerbread cottage inhabited by a cruel witch who wants to eat them.
LibraryThing member Whisper1
Dark, eerie, spooky and wonderfully told and illustrated, this is a book to recommend. The dark illustrations might be a bit too creepy for children.
In this rendition of the fairy tale, both parents are in agreement, though the father is reluctant that the children must be banished to the woods.
Also in this tale it is the biological mother, not a step mother, who is adamant that they cannot feed the children and the parents are more worthy of survival.
As a personal commentary, I'll state that I react strongly to men who are bullied by women and acquiesce. I had the same reaction when reading Ethan Fromme.
The first time they are left alone in the dark woods, they are able to find a way back home. Thus, daddy and mommy dearest make a conscious decision to once again take the children into the woods. It is Hansel who is smart enough to know what is occurring and poor, Gretel believes they will return.
Hungry, Hansel and Gretel find a gingerbread cottage. As they eagerly eat the house, the wicked witch takes them inside and promises food. When Hansel is locked away, he tricks the witch by allowing her to believe a skinny stick is his arm.
Ingeniously, the children find a way to kill the witch. They return home and mommy is dead. Daddy is glad to see them. Yikes, how in the world they can trust this man again is beyond my comprehension.
In this rendition of the fairy tale, both parents are in agreement, though the father is reluctant that the children must be banished to the woods.
Show More
Also in this tale it is the biological mother, not a step mother, who is adamant that they cannot feed the children and the parents are more worthy of survival.
As a personal commentary, I'll state that I react strongly to men who are bullied by women and acquiesce. I had the same reaction when reading Ethan Fromme.
The first time they are left alone in the dark woods, they are able to find a way back home. Thus, daddy and mommy dearest make a conscious decision to once again take the children into the woods. It is Hansel who is smart enough to know what is occurring and poor, Gretel believes they will return.
Hungry, Hansel and Gretel find a gingerbread cottage. As they eagerly eat the house, the wicked witch takes them inside and promises food. When Hansel is locked away, he tricks the witch by allowing her to believe a skinny stick is his arm.
Ingeniously, the children find a way to kill the witch. They return home and mommy is dead. Daddy is glad to see them. Yikes, how in the world they can trust this man again is beyond my comprehension.
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LibraryThing member Sullywriter
A dark, foreboding, and grim retelling, as it should be.
LibraryThing member klburnside
I will just directly quote Kim for my review of this one, rather than trying to say the exact same thing in a different way.
"I saw this in The Week and I thought it was a longer retelling of the story, but it turns out that it was just a kid-length version of the fairy tale, without any details
At least it was a quick read that takes me one book closer to my goal for the year.
"I saw this in The Week and I thought it was a longer retelling of the story, but it turns out that it was just a kid-length version of the fairy tale, without any details
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really being changed. The illustrations were kind of strange and cool, though." At least it was a quick read that takes me one book closer to my goal for the year.
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LibraryThing member flying_monkeys
Dark illustrations offered more originality than the fairy tale.
Mattotti's artwork enhanced the overall tone of the story and that art accounts for the majority of my 4-star rating. The story itself was pretty much the Hansel and Gretel we've all read. Perhaps young children new to this fairy tale
Mattotti's artwork enhanced the overall tone of the story and that art accounts for the majority of my 4-star rating. The story itself was pretty much the Hansel and Gretel we've all read. Perhaps young children new to this fairy tale
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would find it more engaging than I did as I was expecting something fresh and unique from Gaiman. I liked that they included a brief history of the tales and included a brief bibliography for additional reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member StigE
The story is a bit too similar to the one I grew up with. The illustrations are very good, though.
LibraryThing member BenjaminHahn
A short retelling of the classic fairy tale collected by the Brother's Grimm. This has Neil Gaiman's classic feel. The art by Lorenzo Mattotti is haunting. I really enjoyed the historical summary at the end of the book. I love seeing the inner workings of a story's evolution. For instance Hansel
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Gretel might have originated in the European famine of 1315 where parents abandoned their children in the forest because they could not bring themselves to watch them starve or murder them personally. Grim indeed. I would love to see a collection of old fables done in this way, not unlike Phillip Pullman's collection of Brother's Grimm. Show Less
LibraryThing member questbird
A fairly straight re-telling of the classic Hansel and Gretel tale, most notable for the swirling black charcoal illustrations of Lorenzo Mattotti.
LibraryThing member Lucky-Loki
A very straightforward novella based on the fairy tale. No surprises here, and while Gaiman's charming turns of phrase do occasionally lift their head, this adds disappointingly little to those already familiar with the fairy tale (which I imagine would be most). The illustrations are nice and
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moody, though. Show Less
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
This is your basic Hansel and Gretel story. There isn't anything new to the story the only thing some people might find different is that the mother suggests they leave the children in the woods and not a stepmother. The art is very dark charcoal sketches and it didn’t appeal to me for the most
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part. I was left feeling meh about the book and I know it will sell well on the star status of Gaiman but just felt disappointed in this for the most part. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookbrig
The art is interesting, but I didn't feel like the story added to or transformed the tale in an exciting new way. It's a solid, highly readable version of the fairy tale, but I'm not planning to book talk it this summer or talk about it at any of the conferences we're attending this year.
LibraryThing member MandaTheStrange
Neil stayed very true to the original tale, I'm glad he did. There was no sugar coating, no magical animals to save the day, no darkness taken away. Why ruin a good tale? I'm glad Neil decided to re-tell it and I'm sure the Brothers Grimm would like this. Their story was treated with respect and
Stunning.
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certainly was not "disneyfied". Paired with these unique illustrations, this was just a delight to read. Yet another beautiful edition to add to my 'life's library' Stunning.
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LibraryThing member Linyarai
"Be brave, be bold, and keep your wits about you". This is a fabulous retelling of the Brothers Grimm story, and the illustrations are appropriately dark and spooky.
LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
When I saw Neil Gaiman had written a new version of the old fairy tale Hansel and Gretel on Netgalley, I was excited to see what he would do with. Happily, at least to me, he stays very close to the original. This is no Disneyfied version, no friendly animals or dancing candlesticks there to help
And adding to the horror of the tale are the amazing stark ink drawings by Lorenzo Mattotti, the black colouring relieved only by patches of grey and white. In the end, though, both Gaiman’s usual excellent prose and Mattotti’s drawings emphasize the truth of all fairy tales that no matter how dark, grim and frightening the world can become, there is always hope and the chance of a happy ending.
I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review
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the two children. Gaiman, instead, retains all the elements that gave me shivers when I read it as a child - war, famine, two children abandoned by their parents, and of course, cannibalism. Yikes! And adding to the horror of the tale are the amazing stark ink drawings by Lorenzo Mattotti, the black colouring relieved only by patches of grey and white. In the end, though, both Gaiman’s usual excellent prose and Mattotti’s drawings emphasize the truth of all fairy tales that no matter how dark, grim and frightening the world can become, there is always hope and the chance of a happy ending.
I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S HANSEL AND GRETEL ABOUT?
This is the story of Hansel and Gretel almost straight from the Brothers Grimm—given a quick shine by Gaiman. There's nothing particularly Gaiman-esque about the writing or the approach to the story. It's a
THE ART
In the spirit of "If you can't say anything nice....", I'm tempted to leave a few lines of blank space here and move on. I don't get it. Really. I just don't understand what Mattotti was going for here. The pictures are spread over two pages, and most of those pages are black. There are bits of white to help you get an image or the shadow of an image, but again—it's just black. The kind of black that would've threatened to bankrupt printers just a couple of decades ago.
Maybe a quarter to a third of each two-page spread was interesting—but the rest. Ugh.
Call me a Philistine here...but I just don't see why someone would bother.
I've looked at Mattotti's website, and I like a lot of what I saw there...but this was a swing and a miss.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT HANSEL AND GRETEL?
So, the text was okay. The art was disappointing. Overall, I give this a "meh." If this were a person's first exposure to the story—it'd work well. And honestly, if that's what someone uses it for—I'd probably rate this higher.
But for someone wanting a little bit of that Gaiman magic applied to this familiar tale? It just doesn't deliver.
---
WHAT'S HANSEL AND GRETEL ABOUT?
This is the story of Hansel and Gretel almost straight from the Brothers Grimm—given a quick shine by Gaiman. There's nothing particularly Gaiman-esque about the writing or the approach to the story. It's a
Show More
pretty decent and straightforward approach to the story.THE ART
In the spirit of "If you can't say anything nice....", I'm tempted to leave a few lines of blank space here and move on. I don't get it. Really. I just don't understand what Mattotti was going for here. The pictures are spread over two pages, and most of those pages are black. There are bits of white to help you get an image or the shadow of an image, but again—it's just black. The kind of black that would've threatened to bankrupt printers just a couple of decades ago.
Maybe a quarter to a third of each two-page spread was interesting—but the rest. Ugh.
Call me a Philistine here...but I just don't see why someone would bother.
I've looked at Mattotti's website, and I like a lot of what I saw there...but this was a swing and a miss.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT HANSEL AND GRETEL?
So, the text was okay. The art was disappointing. Overall, I give this a "meh." If this were a person's first exposure to the story—it'd work well. And honestly, if that's what someone uses it for—I'd probably rate this higher.
But for someone wanting a little bit of that Gaiman magic applied to this familiar tale? It just doesn't deliver.
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LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Very dark, almost abstract drawings that reflect the depth of the forest and the evils of the old woman and the mother. Perhaps also the father's inability to stand up to his wife and protect his children. Not for the preschool set but I could see it as part of a comp lit unit on fairy tales for
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high school and college, or an art class. Show Less
LibraryThing member nordie
Am in two minds about this book - whilst I normally adore Neil Gaiman's style of writing (and have adored his other recent fairy tale retelling in The Sleeper and The Spindle), I cannot immediately tell which part is Gaiman and which isnt.
Meanwhile, the illustrations are fabulous, in strong black
The siblings, already starving, find their way to a house made of gingerbread, where an old woman lives. She captures both children, locks Hansel in a cage in order to fatten him up, and chains Gretel to the table for her to do housework. The woman struggles to see, and fails to realise that Hansel is getting fatter, but uses a bone when she feels his finger to find out how fat he is getting. Gretel uses her brains, and when the witch wants to roast both of them for her dinner, Gretel pushes her into the hot oven.
The two children escape home, with lots of loot from the witch's house, and find their mother (the one who insisted they were to be "lost" in the woods) has died not long after their disappearance.
All the standards are there: the trail back home , the gingerbread house, death by roasting...is this my favourite Neil Gaiman? Not convinced. Is it a wonderful hardback addition to the collection of books-with-pictures? Oh yes indeedie
Meanwhile, the illustrations are fabulous, in strong black
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and white (it says it's ink, but I would say it was charcoal), with figures in silhouette rather than full definition. The telling is traditional, with little variation from the Grimm's fairy tale - Hansel and Gretel are left in the woods by their parents, who are running low on food after a period of war and famine. The first time, they make their way back to their home, after Hansel has the foresight to load his pockets with white stones to mark their way. The second time Hansel doesn't have the time to gather the stones, and his bread is eaten by the birds before they find their way home.The siblings, already starving, find their way to a house made of gingerbread, where an old woman lives. She captures both children, locks Hansel in a cage in order to fatten him up, and chains Gretel to the table for her to do housework. The woman struggles to see, and fails to realise that Hansel is getting fatter, but uses a bone when she feels his finger to find out how fat he is getting. Gretel uses her brains, and when the witch wants to roast both of them for her dinner, Gretel pushes her into the hot oven.
The two children escape home, with lots of loot from the witch's house, and find their mother (the one who insisted they were to be "lost" in the woods) has died not long after their disappearance.
All the standards are there: the trail back home , the gingerbread house, death by roasting...is this my favourite Neil Gaiman? Not convinced. Is it a wonderful hardback addition to the collection of books-with-pictures? Oh yes indeedie
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Awards
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration (Nominee — 2016)
The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2014-10-28
ISBN
1935179624 / 9781935179627
Local notes
Two abandoned children come upon a gingerbread cottage inhabited by a cruel witch who wants to eat them.
Illustrated endpapers.
Illustrated endpapers.