The Twelve Dancing Princesses

by Ruth Sanderson

Overview

A BEAUTIFUL RETELLING OF THE CLASSIC BROTHERS GRIMM TALE WITH LAVISH FULL-COLOR OIL PAINTINGS. NEW IN PAPERBACK. Ruth Sanderson retells the tale of twelve princesses who dance secretly all night long and how their secret is eventually discovered. Long ago, in the days of princesses, castles, and magic spells, there lived a king and his twelve daughters. Although the king locked the twelve princesses in their bedroom each night, every morning their twelve pairs of dancing shoes were found to be worn quite through, as if they had been danced in all night long! The king proclaimed that anyone who discovered the secret of the worn-out shoes could marry the princess of his choice. Here is the enchanting story of how the mystery was finally solved...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781566568647
Publisher:	Interlink Publishing Group, Incorporated
Publication date:	10/01/2011
Series:	The Ruth Sanderson Collection
Edition description:	Illustrate
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,016,636
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

Ruth Sanderson is the renowned illustrator and author of over 80 books for children. Her fairy tale retellings have been widely praised and much loved by children everywhere. Her original fairy tale, The Enchanted Wood, won both the Young Hoosier Award and the Bank Street College Award. The Texas Bluebonnet Award was given to her retelling of The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring. Her beautiful and ornate version of the classic fable Goldilocks is the latest addition to the collection.

Editorial Reviews

"Sanderson's retelling of this classic tale from the Brothers Grimm is enthralling, and the muted elegance of her oil paintings captures the romance and magic of this well-known fairy tale."

"The illustrations capture the story's magic and romance...."

"This is a handsome piece... Sanderson's princesses are approachable - their youthful vitality in face and movement contrasts effectively with the rich period costumes"

"Sanderson's stately composition and sure hand with face and figure"create scenes so real that viewers begin to wonder why they are unable to hear the music and laughter."

From the Publisher

"Sanderson's retelling of this classic tale from the Brothers Grimm is enthralling, and the muted elegance of her oil paintings captures the romance and magic of this well-known fairy tale."

Language Arts

"This is a handsome piece... Sanderson's princesses are approachable - their youthful vitality in face and movement contrasts effectively with the rich period costumes"

Booklist

Given the recent publication of at least three other retellings of this classic tale of the princesses who mysteriously dance each night away, one may question the need for yet another edition. While certain aspects of Sanderson's oil paintings are lovely, this version is somewhat flawed. With their rich, muted colors and intricate detail, the illustrations capture the story's magic and romance, while recreating the lavish dress and customs of the 15th century. At its best--showing the youngest princess standing in the royal garden or the 12 sisters making their way through a golden forest--Sanderson's art recalls Italian paintings of the era she depicts. The characters' faces and several hairstyles, however, are decidedly contemporary, as if a group of high school youths were attending a masquerade ball. In addition, the book's design is curiously flat and uninteresting: other than the paintings themselves, the pages have a starkness that belies the story's innate elegance. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 2-4-- Last year appeared to be the ``Year of the Dancing Princesses,'' with the publication of two illustrated editions of the story, one by Marianna Mayer, illustrated by Kinuko Craft (Morrow), and one by Anne Carter, illustrated by Anne Dalton (Lippincott). To keep the ``ball'' rolling, here is yet another version of the old tale in which a king's daughters mysteriously dance their slippers to shreds each night. As with Mayer and Carter, Sanderson has chosen the elaborate French version as the basis of her retelling; however, she succeeds where the others failed. Her text is coherent and fully fleshed out, with an attention to detail that allows her to avoid the discrepancies and incongruities that marred Mayer's version. The text reads smoothly, with a straightforward formality that is complemented by the classic nature of the illustrations. Painted in oil, in a realistic yet romantic style, the pictures have the dark, rich texture of old velvet. (The scene in the underground forest is especially lovely, with its opulent gowns of the princesses and the sparkling wood warmed by a golden lamp glow.) Sanderson's stately composition and sure hand with face and figure make her illustrations more effective than Dalton's, creating scenes so real that viewers begin to wonder why they are unable to hear the music and laughter. A fine addition to any fairy-tale collection, this one belongs on the shelf next to the simpler, more traditional Grimm version by Errol Le Cain (Puffin, 1981). --Linda Boyles, Alachua County Lib . District, Gainesville, FL

School Library Journal