Synopsis
Snow White and her sister, Red Rose, let a cold bear into their home to rest one night, but as he leaves, he warns them of the dangers of a little man, so when a evil dwarf shows up on the doorstep, the girls begin to get very worried.
Reviews
Kindergarten-Grade 4. This thematic distant cousin to "Beauty and the Beast" tells of two young beauties befriending a bear who is actually a prince under an evil spell. After they rescue an ungrateful dwarf three times, the girls witness the bear's assault on the dwarf and the prince's release from the spell. Cause and effect is a bit shaky in this tale, but the picture book is true to the Grimms. Unlike Snow White & Rose Red illustrated by Gennady Spirin (Philomel, 1992), this simplified retelling eliminates the Grimms' religious undertones. The smooth text, marred a bit by some careless grammar, is the basis for the illustrator's large oil paintings enhanced by pictorial grace notes on the text pages. Sanderson's strength lies in architecture and landscapes. The human beings, carefully and skillfully drawn from life, often seem stiff and out of place in their environments. The most successful beings here are the two sisters, sturdy little girls with a sweet energy, and the dwarf who is satisfyingly nasty. The language is too sophisticated for beginning readers, but the pictures give a solidity to this slight tale that makes it enjoyable for young listeners.?Sally Margolis, formerly at Deerfield Public Library, IL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Ages 6^-8. Sisters and best friends Snow White and Rose Red have an enchanted forest in which to play and a variety of woodland creatures with whom to play. This faithful retelling of an original Grimm folktale is enhanced by Sanderson's rich oil paintings. The girls and their mother are appealingly realistic characters, who have unusually friendly relationships with animals, which is important, since there are no other humans in the story. Drama and suspense come into the story with the sudden appearance of an enormous talking bear, who is soon befriended by the family. Evil is introduced into the girls' lives in the guise of the greedy, grouchy dwarf. Young readers may be unfamiliar with this story but will enjoy the action as the sisters rescue the dwarf three times before he comes to a bad end. The protagonists grow up and proceed to find happiness in this traditionally told tale. Karen Morgan
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.