Classic Fairy Tales

Classic Fairy Tales is gloriously illustrated by Scott Gustafson.  He has collected 10 of the most traditional fairy tales and brought them to life.  His passion for art and for his favorite children’s stories is clear as I start my own journey back into memories of bedtime stories, children’s rhymes, and Disney movies.

A mix of princess and adventure stories, the ten classic fairy tales chosen by Gustafson are Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Tom Thumb, Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince, Rumplestiltskin, Cinderella, and the Three Little Pigs.  Though many of these stories have found their way into Disney’s vault, Gustafson has elected to retain the unabridged versions (i.e., the frog in the frog prince was thrown at the wall). 

Over four years, Gustafson created 75 images that make this book simply glow.  Ten of the largest illustrations were originally intended for collector’s plates and limited edition prints.  The other 65 paintings are of comparable quality, making this a fluid storybook of beautiful and heartfelt art.

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie by Kathleen D. Lindsey tells the story of Sadie’s family’s struggle to save the family farm.  With a theme of family strength, teamwork, and creative problem solving, this story makes the reader invest in the tale with assistance from illustrator Charlotte Riley-Webb.

Written in African American Vernacular English, the story follows Sadie and her family as they try to save the family farm.  The only viable crop is their sweet potatoes after a long drought.  The bank is about to repossess the farm and only Mama’s special sweet potato pies can save them.  The whole family comes together to produce and promote the pies at the harvest celebration in town.  Sadie’s creative problem solving is crucial in jumping the last hurdle before the finish line.  The author generously included the recipes for the sweet potato pie and the flaky piecrust in the back of the book. With such mouthwatering descriptions, the reader is definitely grateful for the opportunity to make Mama’s sweet potato pies too. 

The illustrations are colorful and flowing.  Colors weave like fabric and capture the true essence of the story.  Riley-Webb is free with her brush and color palette as she continues the energy of the story into the art.

Lon Po Po

Lon Po Po is a red-riding hood story from China, translated and illustrated by Ed Young.  This story lends a new cultural perspective on an old favorite with re-enforcing illustrations. 

Three girls are left at home while their mother visits their grandmother on the occasion of her birthday.  They are told to lock the door and stay safe.  A wolf tricks them into thinking that he is their grandmother or Po Po, who has misinterpreted the birthday plans.  The eldest daughter quickly discerns the deception and saves her sisters.  The story turns a little gruesome when the sisters succeed in killing the wolf by lifting him into a tree via a basket and dropping him to his death.  Having read the end, I now understand the dedication, “To all the wolves of the world for lending their good name as a tangible symbol for our darkness.”  The ending consists of the mother coming home and being told of the events and its manner is very abrupt. 

The illustrations are breath taking.  The watercolors are separated into panels like much of Asian art.  The sizes of the illustrations of the characters fluctuate based on who is strongest in that scene.  Illustrations give a great deal of context and the colors reflect the tide of the story.

Overall, the lesson of this story is that teamwork can pull you through the most dire of circumstances.  It also teaches children to be wary of strangers or those posing to be friends.  Safety is important for young children to learn, especially in this day of increasing technology.

Corduroy

Corduroy is the story of a teddy bear in a store who goes on an adventure and finally finds a friend, a home, and a button.  Don Freeman writes and illustrates this charming story, which was published in 1968.

Corduroy is a teddy bear who wears corduroy overalls.  His overalls are missing a button, however, and that keeps a girl’s mother from taking him home.  Corduroy is determined to replace the button and embarks on his journey in the department store.  He fails to find the button but the girl returns the next day with her piggy bank money, takes him home, replaces his button, and they begin a lovely friendship.  All children can relate to misplacing things and trying to recover them, to experiencing new and sometimes scary things, and to the inexpressible joy at finding a new friend.

The illustrations maintain a simple and consistent color palette.  The day is designated by a yellow background and the night is overwhelmingly blue.  Blue and yellow are also used as accent colors throughout.  Another distinct color duality can be found in the ethnicities of the characters.  Corduroy is ethnic neutral because he is a bear.  The girl and her mother are African American and they are the only ones.  All of the people in the background appear to be upper-middle class and Caucasian.  I like that the African American girl is in the forefront and gives Corduroy friendship and a home.

Rosa

Rosa is a realistic fiction book about the story of the Civil Rights Movement via Rosa Parks.  She serves as the vehicle by which Nikki Giovanni tells a condensed and comprehensive narrative of Civil Rights in America.

This short history begins with a personal introduction of Rosa Parks, the seamstress, the wife, and the daughter.  We follow her as she goes through her day and we hear her little goals for the day.  As she spontaneously takes a stand by staying seated, the readers learn of how others supported Rosa and of the larger movement already underway.  The author surreptitiously includes references to legislation, leaders, and history.  The great lesson in this book is that there are no second-class citizens in this country.

The illustrations are intriguing.  When in a profound moment, leaders like Rosa and Martin Luther King, Jr. are depicted with golden halos.  Because they are inconsistent, the halo belongs to the action and not the actor.  Rich and full of detail, the illustrations consume entire pages and there are no white pages in this book.  Color is strong in more ways than one in Rosa.

Hey, Al

Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks is the story of Al, a janitor, and his dog Eddie.  Their adventure from New York to paradise and back again instills the value of home in the reader.  Illustrations by Richard Egielski flow with the story and go beyond the box.  Written in 1986, this book contrasts the urban setting with a jungle utopia, which allows children from both urban and rural backgrounds to find something to which they can relate.

Al and Eddie live in a small, one bedroom apartment on the West Side.  Man and his best friend are itching to get into the wide, open spaces.  Both fantasize about roomier lodgings when a colorful bird makes them an offer to live with him.  Al is incredulous and Eddie is desperate so they accept.  The bird from the window flies them to an island in the sky, where Al and Eddie forget all about the city…that is, until they too turn into birds. They make their escape and end the story with the line, “Paradise lost is sometimes heaven found.”

Richard Egielski’s illustrations are brilliant!  The art is compressed into a box when Al and Eddie are in New York and a little of the illustration leaks out of the box, depicting the overflowing conditions on the West Side.  When in paradise, the illustration consumes the whole page.  Regardless of location, the illustrations are detailed and have potential to spark a lot of discussion among readers.

Curious George Rides a Bike

 Curious George Rides a Bike is one of seven delightful tales of a curious little monkey who was adopted by the “man in the yellow hat.”  H.A. Rey wrote and illustrated this work in 1952 as evidenced by the depictions of cars, clothes, and activities. 

In this installment of George’s crazy antics, the little monkey is celebrating his birthday.  The man in the yellow hat has given him a bike and has promised a trip to the circus later in the day.  In the meantime, George is left to play with his bike.  Having exhausted all bicycle tricks, George befriends the paper boy and finds delivering papers to be great fun…until he gets distracted.  Paper hats, a bike wreck, and a stint with the traveling circus ensue.  All turns out well in the end, however, as George charms the town into forgiving him his sometimes destructive curiosity. 

Curious George resembles children with his imperfection, tendency to be distracted, curiosity, and love of new things.  Children can easily relate to this character and empathize with his highest and lowest moments.

The illustrations always show movement though they are simple.  The eye travels across the page with ease and context clues abound in the art.  The one drawback to these illustrations is their cultural and ethnic monotone.  Non-Caucasian children may find difficulty in relating to the supporting characters in this book.