Rumpelstiltskin

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

With so many retellings of Grimm tales available, it's difficult to break new ground, though in her artwork Gay (Rainy Day Magic) takes some original strokes. The simplified retelling includes some awkward sentences ("He began to spin, until all the straw was gold") and some that are too wordy ("When he found everything done according to his wish, he ordered that the wedding be held at once, and the miller's daughter became a queen"). But Gay's artwork, rendered in graphite and colored pencils, incorporates some delightfully quirky details: legs and faces of animals show up in very unlikely spots (on the heroine's spinning wheel and the roots of trees), and a troupe of benign yet kid-enticing slimy creatures (bats and spiders), as well as swirls of dust and dirt, accompany the spiked-nose, would-be trickster. She takes some interesting approaches to the more dramatic scenes, too, as when the miller's daughter stands in the shadow of the greedy king as he points to the room where the mountain of straw awaits; or when miller and daughter are seen through the legs of the king's horse. Though not the ideal read-aloud, what stands out in this edition is the impish portrait of its near-villain. Ages 4-7. (Aug.)

Children's Literature - Pat Metz

This classic folktale is retold with Marie-Louise Guy's unique illustrative style. For some young readers, the pictures might not be appealing but frightening when this fearful tale is read to them.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--In this age of the lavishly illustrated fairy tale, Gay gives readers a version of the well-worn Grimm tale that is surprisingly, and refreshingly, childlike. Her adapted text is brief yet faithful to the original and will appeal to even the youngest listeners. Hand in hand with the competent retelling, the illustrations in graphite and colored pencil, reminiscent of the work of Babette Cole, have an inescapable energy. Not mere representations, the drawings skillfully develop her characters. The miller's beautiful daughter actually has long black braids and a pug nose with a generous scattering of freckles. While she is reduced to tears at the sight of a straw-filled room, when faced with the loss of her child she takes on a determined and queenly demeanor--unflappable while reading names from a list that would rival Santa Claus's in length. On the other hand, the king looks greedy beyond redemption. Rumpelstiltskin sports a batwing cape and a leering grin and leaves behind a trail of dust, cobwebs, frogs, centipedes, and slugs. He is wily and evil without being completely terrifying. Nevertheless, this version of the familiar tale belongs completely to the nameless heroine, who in the end shares her joy with her baby. While opulent editions of the story, such as those illustrated by Paul Zelinsky (Dutton, 1986) and Gennady Spirin (Dial, 1991; o.p.), certainly deserve to be in libraries and will undoubtedly be popular with collectors and gift-buyers, Gay's Rumpelstiltskin will find its place in the hearts of young readers.--Jeanne Clancy Watkins, Upper Merion Township Library, King of Prussia, PA