Hansel and Gretel by Holly Hobbie

Hansel and Gretel by Holly Hobbie
Little, Brown, and Company

Rating: 5 stars

Kiefer has been saying how much he likes scary stories. I told him I got a good one from the library--could I read it to him? After reading Holly Hobbie's indescribably gorgeous new version of the classic Hansel and Gretel, he said, "I never want to read that again!"

I'm not sure what it says about me that I'm chuckling at chilling my four year old to the bone...

But that's what this tale is: bone-chilling.

Do you remember all the details? Hansel and Gretel live on a farm with their father and their step-mother. (This is one of the many examples of a story where step-mothers don't look so great.) Times are hard and money is tight; the step-mother convinces the man to abandon his children. After a few tries, and when the birds eat the crumbs Hansel spread along the path, the children are successfully abandoned.

In a deep, dark creepy forest.

"The children waited...and no one came to take them home."
(this image is sure to give my son nightmares)

(Did I mention we live in the woods? Perhaps I should have thought of that before reading this to poor Kiefer.)

The two children walk along until they find a house made of candy, with a suspicious-looking lady welcoming them. They soon find out she's feeding them well to plump them up so she can eat them for dinner. Hansel is caged; Gretel is enlisted with chores.

They need a plan, and it's up to Gretel. When the witch asks her to lean into the fire to make sure it's hot enough, Gretel asks, "How?" in her most innocent voice. The witch leans into the large fire, and Gretel shoves her backside with all her little-girl might. When the "dreadful shrieks" end, she rescues Hansel and they run back home together.

When they get home, their father opens his arms to them. He's grateful for their return (there's no talk of forgiveness; no "Why'd you ditch us, Dad?"). The step-mother? She "had died after eating food that had gone bad." What??!!?!! I'm actually concerned that Kiefer will remember this and use it against me in the court of dinner sometime.

"Fetch wood while I sharpen my best knife."

Anyhow, I do think this story is important for children to know as part of their cultural literacy. And if you're going to chill your child to the bone on this day before Halloween, let it be with this version of the tale. Holly Hobbie's artwork is unbelievable. Are you familiar with it? If not, go check out all her recent stuff and prepare to sit down after the kids go to bed to just appreciate her talent. She's a fantastic storyteller (read her Toot and Puddle series) and her illustrations make classic books come to life (check out...no, just buy... The Night Before Christmas).

And to the step-mothers out there...yikes! Sorry about the bad rap those Grimm brothers gave you.

Happy Halloween!

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Holly Hobbie

Rating: 5 stars

I love all the versions of The Night Before Christmas.  I keep an eye out for them this time of year; I think it's such a fun example of how you can take a classic text and spin it to make it your own.  (The Three Little Pigs story is another of my favorites to show my kids...) Literature is one big conversation between authors, right?

But first, you've got to have the original, the classic, the one and only poem by Clement C. Moore. The Night Before Christmas.  If your family celebrates Christmas, it's a book you've got to have in the house.

And if you're going to have it in your house, and read it over and over with your kids, year after year, spend the extra dollars to get a beautiful one.  The illustrations by Holly Hobbie are fantastic.  The time she takes to paint each illustration is evident on each page. If you've ever picked up a Toot and Puddle book you will have an idea of what I'm talking about.

There is no artist who can produce warmer illustrations than Holly Hobbie--looking at these pictures is like having a warm cup of tea, toes near a glowing fireplace, all my loved ones nearby.

In the Artist's Note in the back, Hobbie writes that she was at times intimidated by the idea of creating illustrations for such a masterpiece.  She had to "honor the timelessness of the piece while still making it [her] own." It is a slightly more modern version, and one seen through the eyes of an innocent, everything-is-amazing toddler.

I really, really love it.  This is a fantastic book to give--to expecting parents, to your children's grandparents, to your own toddler, to yourself.


P.S.  Here are the versions I've found.  Those with links are, obviously, ones I've reviewed

A Pirate's Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates
The Solider's Night Before Christmas by Trish Holland and Christine Ford
Dinosaurs Night Before Christmas by Anne Muecke
The Night Santa Got Lost: How NORAD Saved Christmas by Michael Keane
The Legend of Papa Noel: A Cajun Christmas Story by Terri Hoover Dunham

Please leave a comment if you know of any others!

Toot and Puddle You Are My Sunshine by Holly Hobbie

Toot and Puddle You Are My Sunshine by Holly Hobbie

Rating: 4.5 stars

I love these books--mostly for the gorgeous watercolor illustrations that I'd like to cut out and frame and put on the walls in each child's bedroom (but they are library books so of course I wouldn't!).  But I also love the characters, two pigs with different personalities who somehow mesh together incredibly well.  Toot is my favorite--he's the adventure seeker, always looking for some new place to go or fantastic experience to have.  Toot is bright and cheerful, optimistic and playful.  His little piggy face has a big piggy smile on at all times.

But in this book, Toot is moping.  In a poopy mood.  His friend Puddle is confused--Toot is never in the doldrums.  Toot walks around in a storm cloud.  So, his buddy Puddle makes it his mission to cheer him up.  He makes Puddle his favorite five-berry cobbler, provides an adventure by floating own a river, and has a party with all of Toot's friends.

Still, Toot mopes.  Poor guy.

Then, there is a real storm--not just the figurative one over Toot.  It rains and rains.  Lightening crackles, thunder rumbles, all the animals are scared.

And in the morning, Toot skips through the puddles.  The old Toot is back!

"Sometimes you need a whopping thunderstorm to clear the air."  The two pigs agree that thunderstorms and friends are absolutely necessary.

I am not great at letting my kids stay in a poopy mood, but it's good for me to remember: Everyone mopes.  Everyone has their down minutes, down days, sometimes down weeks.  Hopefully they have a friend nearby who takes their mope-itude on and makes them smile and laugh, if only a little at a time, until their doldrums are over.

The other great thing about this book is that I get "You Are My Sunshine" stuck in my head, and that's not a bad thing at all.  Love that song.

Toot & Puddle by Hollie Hobby

Toot & Puddle Wish You Were Here by Holly Hobbie

Rating: 5 rich, whimsical stars

Every week, we come across at least one new, good book at the library, one that captures my kids imagination or makes them laugh out loud or makes them ask me a thoughtful question or two.  But usually it's just one book.  We read it a bunch of times and return it, and check it out again whenever we want to experience what it offers again.

But once in a while we check out one book and then--to our delight!--that it is linked to a whole SERIES of books and then--joy oh joy!--we have a handful or, in this case, about a dozen books to read!  That is the case here.  How did I not know about these Toot & Puddle books before?  I feel like climbing to the top of the nearest hill in the playground and shouting at the top of my lungs while all the classes are playing.  Since I would definitely receive some crazy looks if I did that, I'll just tell you here and now.

THESE ARE SPECTACULAR!

We've seen the series advertised on TV but never watched them.  They show looks cute enough, but I admit I only reluctantly lets my kids watch TV.  Wanting to keep them ignorant on how many options there are out there, I'm always saying "no" to the kids when they ask me if they can watch a new show.  Anyway, I was at the library, looking for a book in the H section last month and saw Hollie Hobby's name.  Of course I recognized the name and pulled it out.  The cover illustration made me gasp.  So beautiful!  So thoughtful!  So whimsical!  So fun!

I grabbed all of the Toot & Puddle books as if a herd of moms were coming my way, looking for them.  That's right--I'm a book hoarder.  Hope you weren't looking for one of them in Fairfax County.  Because when I got home I ordered the rest of them online.

Okay, okay...I'll get to the books...!

My favorite book in the series right now is Wish You Were Here.  In it, Toot goes off to explore the world, sending postcards home to Puddle, who stays at home and can't imagine why Toot wants to see anything other than Woodcock Pocket, his (and Toot's) beloved home.  (This so strikes a cord with me--I so wanted (and still want to) see the world, and jetted off to Asia as soon as I could after graduating from college.  Why?!  Why is it that some people are so intent on flying, going, exploring while others are content with planting roots, staying, and just being?)

I got side-tracked.  Again.  Sorry.

Anyway, Toot goes off and has grand adventures while Puddle stays home.  When Toot returns, he is not his usual pink but...violet.  He has gotten some sickness and can't shake the blue color.  Puddle and his cousin Opal consult various doctors, the internet, and books and finally find a remedy that works.  Toot is pink again, and soon decides that his next adventure will be set in Woodcock Pocket.  He marries--at least momentarily--his longing to go and his desire to stay.  (As I have--at least momentarily!)

Right now I have two favorite things about these books:

First, I love the illustrations!  They aren't just gorgeous--that wouldn't be appropriate for a children's book with rich characters and a great story line.  They are thoughtfully created; no detail is left out, and the expressions on each little pig face is unique and animated.  These pigs are cute and funny, sweet and...somehow, real.

Second, I love how there are no grown ups.  I'm a fan of this in general with children's books, because I like when kids read about kids who are independent: they solve their own problems, create their own stories, come up with their own games.  I really believe that this helps inspire independence in little readers like Lorelei and Ben.

And if the books aren't enough for your kids, there is the TV show on Nick, Jr, and not one but TWO websites: one on a National Geographic, and one through Nick, Jr., that has games, printables, video clips, and more.  (Summer's coming up, so these printables might be the answer to your prayers one day.)

I love these books.  LOVE them!  They will be birthday books for our friends all summer long...