Lisbeth Zwerger

Whenever I re-read a fairytale from my childhood, I am always surprised at how different it is from my memory of it. This one, of course, suffered from the innumerable times I was forced to watch the Disney version with the grandchildren.

Andersen was the quintessential moral story teller, with many lessons to be carried away by both children and adults. The obvious ones of not longing for things that you cannot have and measure the cost carefully before you make the deal, but on the flip side, nothing exceeds love for virtue and you might get unexpected rewards for good deeds done.

I was interested in the religious overtones regarding the soul, for that was what the little mermaid was seeking, the chance to be human and have a soul that would live beyond the grave.… (more)

I'm a fan of Lisbeth Zwerger and her beautiful illustrations. Partly, I think, because they hark back to those of Arthur Rackham and possibly also Edmund Dulac...and I grew up on these stories ...fascinated by the pictures. Maybe it is underselling the contribution s by Lisbeth Zwerger because her own work is original and she has a lovely sense of dramatic perspective that the older artists never used. And some of her work (Such as Alice in Wonderland is totally unique.....then again, I don't like this so much).
Suffice to say, for me, the story here of Little Red Cap is totally subsidiary to the illustrations. It's not exactly the classic "Little Red Riding Hood" ....but very close to it. Reading the story again, I can't help but be surprised that the woodsman can blithely take a pair of scissors and cut the wolf open without the wolf walking up......but, that's a fairy story! And I'm now at the stage with so many books that I find that I have two copies of this book: this one a paperback which I shall donate to charity and the other a hardback, which I shall keep.
But a lovely little book. Warrants five stars.… (more)