Book Review, Genre 2: RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Author: Paul O. Zelinsky
Title: Rumpelstiltskin
Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
Publication Date: 1986
ISBN: 0-525-44265-0
Plot summary: A retelling of the traditional tale of the miller who boasts to the king about his beautiful daughter that can spin straw into gold. Of course, the miller’s beautiful daughter has no idea how to spin straw into gold – until she receives help from a strange little man. In exchange for helping the miller’s daughter, the little man demands her firstborn child. She agrees, but later negotiates a deal that if she can guess the little man’s name, she can keep her son. Fate is with her and she finds out his real name: Rumplestiltskin.
Critical analysis: Paul O. Zelinsky’s retelling of Rumplestiltskin was first brought to my attention when it aired as a featured book on Reading Rainbow. I was fascinated by Zelinsky’s illustrations because they reminded me of medieval oil paintings you would find in a museum. On my next trip to the public library, I sought out a printed copy of the book to pour over at my leisure.
Zelinsky pairs his illustrations well with the retelling of the German Brothers Grimm story. Readers can see the crunchiness of the straw that Rumplestiltskin spins into spool after spool of glistening gold thread. You can see the wariness of the miller’s daughter as she brokers deals with the strange little man day after day, doing what she needs to do to stay alive. A year goes by after her last deal with Rumplestiltskin and the miller’s daughter, now the Queen, wears fine clothing which Zelinsky has illustrated in rich fabrics and jewels. In my opinion, the best illustration of the Queen is when she says: “In that case, is your name Rumplestiltskin?” You just know she has beaten him!
Review excerpt:
- Randolph Caldecott Medal, 1987
- Parent’s Choice Award, 1986
- From Publisher’s Weekly: “Rumplestiltskin is a tour de force by an immensely talented artist. Zelinsky is that rare practitioner who can create sophisticated work that adults will marvel at, and that children will joyfully embrace.”
- From Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 1986: “Richly textured, finely detailed oil paintings illustrate the familiar tale of the miller’s daughter who bargains with a tiny man to spin straw into gold.”
- Pair this version of Rumplestiltskin with another great illustrated book by Zelinsky: Rapunzel ISBN: 9780142301937
- Let students visit Paul Zelinsky’s web site: www.paulozelinsky.com
- Other books by Paul O. Zelinsky:
-- The Wheels on the Bus ISBN: 9780525446446
-- Knick-knack Paddywhack! ISBN: 9780525469087
Bibliography
Cover, Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Personal photograph by Amy Wilson. September 22, 2016.
Zelinsky, P. O. (1986). Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.
No comments:
Post a Comment