By
Jennifer Allen-Williams, Coordinator, School Outreach
February 4, 2020
If you love all things scary, the new film Gretel and Hanselwritten by Rob Hayesand directed by Oz Perkins may be something you are looking forward to seeing. This film is based on the classic Hansel and Gretel story which was formally introduced to the world in the 19th century by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm also known as The Brothers Grimm.
Known by peopleall over the world, this tale features a brother and sister pair who cleverly outsmart the malevolent intentions of an evil witch who tries to entice the starving children with a house made of gingerbread and sweet promises of more treats to eat —they have no idea what they are in for. Filled with life lessons and playing on the innocence yet wittiness of its main characters, this story’s premise may sound a lot like your typical "soft" fairy tale. However, similar to other Brothers Grimm’s stories such as Cinderella and The Frog Prince, the Hansel and Gretel isbest described as not quite "kid-friendly". In fact, similar toits literary counterparts,Hansel and Gretelis known in the scholarly world for its rather grotesque details and controversial content ranging from the abandonment of children to cannibalism. Perhapsthis has contributed to the filmGretel and Hansel’s, PG-13 rating.
Why would such a grim tale be told and retold throughout the centuries to children?If you look beyond the graphic and morose nature of the tale, you will find that children can learn quite a bit from the story's young protagonists.What can be learned?
- Introduces children to the concept and reality of poverty.
- Teacheshow you can go from being a victim of circ*mstances to becoming a hero.
- Shows howintelligence and resourcefulness can outweigh material wealth.
- Addresses the dangers of goingwith strangers.
- Illustrates the importance of love and loyalty amongfamily.
- Exhibits a lesson of bad deeds coming full circle to those who partake in them.
- Subtly discourages going against one'sconscience in orderto appeaseothers.
- Encourages the qualitiesof positivity and self assurance.
Needless to say, there's aHansel and Gretel-inspired story for just about everyone. Don't know where to start? Check out the variety of retold versions in the New York Public Library'scollection, below.
Fairy Tales from the Brother's Grimm by Philip Pullman
Two centuries ago, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published their first volume of fairy tales. Now Philip Pullman makes us fall in love all over again with the immortal tales of the Brothers Grimm. Here are Pullman’s fifty favorites—a wide-ranging selection that includes the most popular stories as well as lesser-known treasures like “The Three Snake Leaves,” “Godfather Death,” and “The Girl with No Hands”—alongside his personal commentaries on each story’s sources, variations, and everlasting appeal. Suffused with romance and villainy, danger and wit, Pullman’s beguiling retellings will cast a spell on readers of all ages.
Hansel and Gretel: An Opera in Two Acts
Music by Engelbert Humperdinck; libretto by Adelheid Wette; translated and adapted by Norman Kelley
The Archives of Alternate Endings by Lindsey Drager
Breadcrumbing back in time from 2365 to 1378, siblings reimagine, reinvent, and recycle the narrative of Hansel and Gretel to articulate personal, regional, and ultimately cosmic experiences of tragedy. Through a relay of speculative pieces that oscillate between eco-fiction and psychological horror, The Archive of Alternate Endings explores sibling love in the face of trauma over the course of a millennium, in the vein of Richard McGuire's Here and Lars von Trier's Melancholia.
The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza
A fairy tale run amok, The Taiga Syndromefollows an unnamed female Ex-Detective as she searches for a couple who has fled to the far reaches of the earth. A betrayed husband is convinced by a brief telegram that his second ex-wife wants him to track her down. He hires the Ex-Detective, who sets out with a translator into a snowy, hostile forest where strange things happen and translation betrays both sense and one's senses. Tales of Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood haunt the Ex-Detective's quest, though the lessons of her journey are more experiential than moral: that just as love can fly away, sometimes unloving flies away as well. That sometimes leaving everything behind is the only thing left to do.
Hansel and Gretelby Jenni James
A hidden princess and the boy who saves her life. Hansel's father finds a child lost and alone during a violent thunderstorm. After bringing her in from the tempest, he and his son are startled to discover that she is Gretel, a princess of Larkein, the enemy kingdom their own king has just destroyed. Fearful for her life, Hansel pleads with his father to save her. He believes they can make Gretel good by teaching her their ways. His kindhearted father agrees, but with great trepidation. Ten years later, Gretel has grown into a lovely young woman who both infuriates and drives Hansel to distraction while he attempts to not lose his heart to her. When the Larkein witch comes back in the guise of a beautiful woman and marries their father, everything is set into a tailspin. Now they must figure out their new stepmother's plans and prevent her from destroying them all before it is too late.
Hansel and Gretel: Opera in Two Acts
Engelbert Humperdinck; production by Richard Jones; directed by Barbara Willis Sweete; a Metropolitan Opera production in association with PBS and Thirteen/WNET New York.
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Hansel and Gretelby Jacob Grimm
This stunning edition of the classic fairy tale makes brilliant use of translucent paper and silhoutte-like illustrations to enliven every page. "Once upon a time, there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel . . ." and so begins the thrilling story of two children relying on their wits to survive in a hostile world. Sybille Schenker’s evocative and exquisite illustrations bring a unique beauty and graphic excellence to a timeless favorite.
Hansel y Gretel by Nina Filipek
Tras la lectura, la sorpresa: unas adivinanzas incluidas al final del cuento que permiten seguir disfrutando de la historia
Its's Not Hansel and Gretel by Josh Funk
Hansel and Gretel will not listen to their storyteller. For one thing, who leaves a trail of bread crumbs lying around, when there are people starving? Not Hansel, that’s for sure! And that sweet old lady who lives in a house made of cookies and candy? There’s no way she’s an evil witch! As for Gretel, well, she’s about to set the record straight—after all, who says the story can’t be called Gretel and Hansel? It’s time for these wacky siblings to take their fairy tale into their own hands. So sit back and enjoy the gingerbread!
Hansel and Gretel by Rachel Isadora
Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora gives readers a stunning new interpretation of this classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, setting the infamous witch's cottage deep in a lush African forest. Hansel and Gretel's plight feels all the more threatening as they're plunged into the thick, dark jungle of Isadora's rich collages.
by Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Mattotti
Best-selling author Neil Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel & Gretel, a stunning book that's at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.
by Rika Lesser; illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
The first Grimm tale illustrated by 1998 Caldecott medalist Paul O. Zelinsky is once again available in hardcover. Originally published in 1984, Zelinsky's paintings for Hansel and Gretel are as compelling as his later work and will captivate readers with their mysterious beauty, emotional power, and brilliant originality..The hauntingly spare retelling of this perennial favorite by the poet Rika Lesser perfectly complements the vivid storytelling of Zelinsky's artwork. Once again this gifted artist gives us a unique interpretation of a beloved fairy tale, allowing us to both see it anew and rediscover its eternal truths.
Staff Pick:
Although this version is far more different from the original edition andother versions I have read in terms of storyline and length, this book offers beautiful, bright illustrations to accompany itspositive and hopeful tone. It is most certainly reminsicent of what most people think of when they think of a bedtime fairy tale. I actually found the author to be quite creative in the direction that they went.
by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Celebrated author Michael Morpurgo takes the Brothers Grimm classic to a new level, drawing on themes of hunger and hope, cruelty and courage, to tell a powerful story about love and family. Filled with intricate details, Emma Chichester Clark's bright, captivating illustrations fill each page.
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Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.
