Beloved author James Marshall--creator of George and Martha--puts a hilarious twist on a classic tale in his retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
Abandoned in the woods, what will Hansel and Gretel - so innocent, so vulnerable, so deliciously plump - do when they come face-to-face with a dastardly, ugly, over-dressed witch?
"Once again Marshall works his magic on a popular tale, retelling without reshaping it and infusing both text and pictures with ingenuous simplicity lit by flashes of roguish humor. Gretel is the clearer-eyed here--the first to comprehend that the chubby, scowling woodcutter's wife (never specifically referred to as mother or stepmother) means no good, and that the gaudily dressed woman in the candy house is a witch. After the witch is "roasted to a regular crisp" in her own oven, Hansel and Gretel return home in triumph and are last seen decked with jewels, posing with their joyful father. Marshall's comic genius is less appropriate to this dark tale of betrayal than to "Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Little Pigs," which better lend themselves to farce; but his fans will probably be delighted with this anyway."--Kirkus Reviews
James Marshall was born in San Antonio, Texas, and grew up 16 miles outside of the town on the family farm. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a degree in history and French. He is best known for his series on the mischievous exploits of Fox, a debonair, lazy showoff; the uproarious adventures of the two Cut-Ups, Spud and Joe; George and Martha; and the misadventures of the Stupid family. In 1989 he won a Caldecott Honor for Golidlocks and the Three Bears. He died in 1992.
View titles by James Marshall
Beloved author James Marshall--creator of George and Martha--puts a hilarious twist on a classic tale in his retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
Abandoned in the woods, what will Hansel and Gretel - so innocent, so vulnerable, so deliciously plump - do when they come face-to-face with a dastardly, ugly, over-dressed witch?
Praise
"Once again Marshall works his magic on a popular tale, retelling without reshaping it and infusing both text and pictures with ingenuous simplicity lit by flashes of roguish humor. Gretel is the clearer-eyed here--the first to comprehend that the chubby, scowling woodcutter's wife (never specifically referred to as mother or stepmother) means no good, and that the gaudily dressed woman in the candy house is a witch. After the witch is "roasted to a regular crisp" in her own oven, Hansel and Gretel return home in triumph and are last seen decked with jewels, posing with their joyful father. Marshall's comic genius is less appropriate to this dark tale of betrayal than to "Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Little Pigs," which better lend themselves to farce; but his fans will probably be delighted with this anyway."--Kirkus Reviews
Author
James Marshall was born in San Antonio, Texas, and grew up 16 miles outside of the town on the family farm. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a degree in history and French. He is best known for his series on the mischievous exploits of Fox, a debonair, lazy showoff; the uproarious adventures of the two Cut-Ups, Spud and Joe; George and Martha; and the misadventures of the Stupid family. In 1989 he won a Caldecott Honor for Golidlocks and the Three Bears. He died in 1992.
View titles by James Marshall
