Gris Grimly's tales from the brothers Grimm Being a selection from the Household Stories collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Writer and illustrator Grimly gives Margaret Raine Hunt's classic 1884 translation of Grimm's Household Tales a thoroughly modern, gothy vibe in this newly illustrated collection. Only 42 of the more familiar tales are here, but they offer a sampling of the range of the stories collected by the Brothers Grimm, from humorous to cautionary to downright spooky. Although generously laden with illustrations, most are black-and-white reproductions of original watercolors with just a handful of plates to bring subdued but appreciated splashes of color. The illustrations are murky and shadowed, with grotesquely proportioned creatures and big-eyed maidens set against dead landscapes and withered trees. Vacant eyes lend an eerie, vaguely menacing quality to the more nefarious characters, and sharp points and spidery lines up the creep factor even more. Tempering the dark tone is a heavy dose of whimsy fueled by many absurd and humorous depictions, especially animals and the nonhuman, found throughout the pages. While not an essential purchase for all libraries, the unusual and contemporary treatment is bound to draw in curious readers.--Hayes, Summer Copyright 2016 Booklist

This selection of forty tales includes classics such as "Rapunzel" and "The Bremen Town Musicians," as well as lesser-known tales such as "The Singing Bone" and "Herr Korbes." Many of the Grimms' tales were meant to teach lessons, often through fear, and Grimly's spot and full-page black-and-white illustrations--plus several sepia-toned inserts--deftly accentuate the tales' malicious characters and ominous plots. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.