Hansel & Gretel

by Bethan Woollvin

Overview

This clever retelling of the classic fairy tale will have young readers wondering who's the real villain, from New York Times Best Illustrated Book-winner Bethan Woollvin.

Deep in the forest lives a witch named Willow. She is a good witch who only uses good magic—until she meets Hansel and Gretel. Willow never used to worry about messy bread crumb trails. Or entire portions of her gingerbread house being devoured. Or anyone fiddling with her spells and magic books and causing a ruckus. But Hansel and Gretel are two very naughty and very rude children, and they are trying Willow's patience...

Author-illustrator Bethan Woollvin, creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Little Red, delivers a subversive retelling of "Hansel and Gretel" which features striking and humorous visuals and a deliciously wicked twist ending that is sure to surprise and delight.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682634172
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	06/07/2022
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Bethan Woollvin graduated from the Cambridge School of Art with a First Class Degree in Illustration. She has since made a name for herself with dark and witty twists on traditional stories. Her fractured fairy tale, Little Red, was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book. Bethan lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

"Marked by sly humor and an impish sense of mischief. . . entertaining text. . . Wicked fun."—The Horn Book Magazine

"Readers get a humorous and unique version of an oft-told tale."—School Library Journal

"Woollvin puts an original twist on a fairy tale classic...Hansel and Gretel's well-deserved comeuppance is a treat for readers."—Publishers Weekly

"Striking. . . Children will enjoy comparing the traditional story to this delightfully twisted version."—Booklist Online

"Delicious."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

10/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—Even a good witch has her limits, as Woollvin proves in her third twisted fairy tale following Little Red and Rapunzel. Willow, in her triangular gray cape and peaked hat combo, is a kind witch who has built herself a cozy gingerbread home. Concerned that bread crumbs being dropped by two children may lead rodents to her tasty abode, she asks Hansel and Gretel to help her pick up the debris. The self-centered kids refuse, so Willow cleans up the mess herself. "But Willow did not get angry, because Willow was a good witch." Though she graciously invites the hungry children to dinner, the twins continue to create chaos, eating all the food and breaking into Willow's store of magic props. Making a valiant attempt at remaining courteous and staying cool, Willow has finally had enough. Gray and black gouache illustrations painted on white cartridge paper are highlighted with pops of bright orange in solid blocks of color. VERDICT The wicked children get their just desserts, and readers get a humorous and unique version of an oft-told tale. Purchase for most shelves.—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI

School Library Journal

2018-08-01

A new version of the Grimms' tale, told from the witch's perspective.

The text immediately establishes the witch, named Willow, as a "good witch" who lives in a gingerbread house. When she encounters two children in the forest, she asks them to help clean up the trail of breadcrumbs they've left behind so it won't attract mice. Alas, they refuse, and then Willow is aghast to find them, not mice, nibbling on her house. But because she's a good witch, she doesn't get angry; instead, she invites the children inside and prepares a meal. They leave no food for her and proceed to otherwise behave badly, but she "did not get angry, because Willow was a good witch" (a refrain). The mischief culminates in the children's shoving Willow into an oven so they can have the house to themselves, and then they destroy it. Magical Willow emerges unscathed—and finally angry. A wordless spread depicts her with the children in a cooking pot and ingredients and cooking implements (including gingerbread-cookie cutters like those depicted on the case cover) surrounding them. The final image, like all the rest rendered in a limited black, orange, and white color palette and a bold, graphic style, depicts a gingerbread girl and boy on a plate: Hansel and Gretel have gotten their just deserts by becoming dessert for Willow, who "wasn't ALWAYS a good witch."

Delicious. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews