The Children’s Book Review | October 8, 2019
Written and Illustrated by Bethan Woollvin
Age Range: 5-9
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (October 1, 2018)
ISBN: 978-1-68263-073-0
What to expect: Fairy Tale Twist
Author-Illustrator Bethan Woollvin is back with her third hilariously twisted fairy tale: HANSEL & GRETEL.
Willow was a good witch. She baked, she did pretty magic, and she lived in a tidy but tasty gingerbread house. Until one day, when Willow comes upon the siblings Hansel and Gretel, and Willow is put to the test! First, she asks them to stop leaving breadcrumb trails in the woods, as it might lead animals to her gingerbread house. What do they do? Go to her house and start snacking on the shingles! Willow the good witch invites them inside for a delicious meal since they clearly must be starving. Do they save any food for her? Absolutely not! Their visit goes downhill until finally, Willow has had enough!
Turns out, Willow is not always a good witch!
This perfectly dark and absolutely snort-inducing fairy tale is just right for the elementary set. As with her previous two books, Woollvin takes a classic and reimagines the story, tweaking the details just so that it becomes something entirely new. Her signature use of a three-color palette, combined with strikingly simple and poignant imagery (reminiscent of Jon Klassen) makes this book stand out on a shelf and in the hands of an eager reader. Naughty Hansel and Gretel spring to life, as does overwhelmed and flustered Willow the witch. With the gleefully dark twist ending, this book is sure to be a favorite at bedtime or in the classroom (while eating some gingerbread cookies!).
Highly recommended.
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About the Author-Illustrator
Bethan Woollvin is a recent graduate of the Cambridge School of Art, where she won the prestigious Macmillan Children’s Book Competition with her version of Little Red Riding Hood. It was her first picture book. She lives in England.
Hansel & Gretel, written and illustrated by Beth Woollvin, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like Hansel & Gretel by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Fairy Tales, Fractured Fairy Tales, Hansel and Gretel, and Picture Book.