Hansel and Gretel

 

Book: Hansel and Gretel 

Author: Rika Lesser 

Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky 

Genre: Fairy Tale, Traditional Literature 

Major Awards: Caldecott Honor Book, ALA Notable Book 

Age Group: K - 3 

Summary: 

There lived a poor family in the woods who could barely manage to feed themselves. The mother, not wanting to starve, convinces her husband to leave their two children, Hansel and Gretel, in the forest. Unbeknownst to them, the children heard of the plan and that very night, Hansel goes outside and stuffs his pockets with white pebbles. The next morning, as the family goes into the forest, Hansel drops the pebbles down the path and using that, he and Gretel manage to make their way home to their fathers joy and their mother's anger. Hansel and Gretel are taken to the forest the next day and are unable to find their way back home this time. They wander until they find a house made of bread, pancakes, and candy. The owner of the the house, an old women, traps them and tries to fatten them up so she can eat them. Hansel and Gretel end up outsmarting the old women, and the gems/jewels they take from old women's house, they give to their father when they find their way back home (the mother having died days previously). Hansel and Gretel and their father thus end up living a very prosperous life. 

Evaluation and Comments: 

Hansel and Gretel provides a wonderful retelling of the classic Grimm fairy tales. The detailed illustrations (beautiful enough to get a Caldecott Honor!) help in bringing the whole story together. The book sticks close to the original tale and because of that, it is a great book for older readers but questionable for younger readers as portions of the book get a little dark. 

In this book, we are exposed to the themes of poverty, death, and child abandonment. If this book were to be read to children, it is essential to take the time to talk about these concepts of the book and if possible, give explanation's about character's actions. Given that, since I plan to teach younger elementary, this isn't the type of book that I would use for class. Even though the original tale of Hansel and Gretel does get a little grim,  I would rather use a more friendlier kid version of the tale if possible. However, if this book where to be used with older students, it would be a great activity to have them compare the original version of the tale to more modernized, kid friendly versions of the book and explain reasons why certain changes were made. 

In conclusion, Hansel and Gretel does not have my seal of approval.