Hans in Luck: Seven Stories by the Brothers Grimm

Hans in Luck: Seven Stories by the Brothers Grimm. Two are retold by Felix Hoffman. Illustrated by Felix Hoffman. 2017. NorthSouth books. 256 pages.

Premise/plot: Hans In Luck is a fairy tale collection featuring seven previously published picture books written and illustrated by Felix Hoffman. Rapunzel was originally published in 1949. The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids was originally published in 1957. Sleeping Beauty was originally published in 1959. The Seven Ravens was originally published in 1962. King Thrushbeard was originally published in 1969. Tom Thumb was originally published in 1972. Hans in Luck was originally published in 1975. Felix Hoffman. The two stories retold by Hoffman are Rapunzel and Hans In Luck.

Felix Hoffman was one of Switzerland's most important children's book illustrators of the twentieth century. The book includes a brief biography and afterword which helps place his work in context. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this collection. My favorite story was Hans in Luck. My next favorite story was probably The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. I have so many memories of my mom retelling The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. (She also does an awesome Three Billy Goats Gruff.) I think the only story I wasn't familiar with was King Thrushbeard. It reminded me of The Taming of the Shrew--for better or worse.

Text:  4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Jesus Storybook Bible

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Deluxe Edition. Sally Lloyd-Jones. 2009. Zonderkidz. 352 pages.

God wrote, "I love you" -- he wrote it in the sky, and on the earth, and under the sea. He wrote his message everywhere! Because God created everything in his world to reflect him like a mirror -- to show us what he is like, to help us to know him, to make our hearts sing.

The way a kitten chases her tail. The way red poppies grow wild. The way a dolphin swims.

And God put it into words, too, and wrote it in a book called "the Bible."

Now some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what he has done.

It had me at hello from the very first story or chapter--appropriately titled The Story and The Song--in which readers get introduced to God, to the Bible, to the Gospel.

The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne -- everything -- to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is -- it's true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle -- the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day -- but wait. Our story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning...

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this one. I've seen other Bible story books. I've read other Bible story books. Some I remember from my childhood. Others I've come across as an adult. So what makes this one special? I think what makes this one work--really work--is how Sally Lloyd-Jones has every story whisper His name. Her ability to connect each story with the Big Story, keeps everything in perspective, keeps everything connected and relevant. It also helps that she's a good storyteller! She has a definite way with words! She keeps the stories on a child's level, but yet, the stories are beautifully and compellingly told.

From "God to the Rescue!"

So Moses went to Pharaoh.

"Pharaoh," Moses began, "God says -- "

"God?" said Pharaoh. "Never heard of him."

Moses kept going. "God says, let his people go free."

"Why should I?" Pharaoh said. "Don't want to. WON'T!" So he didn't.

But God gave Pharaoh ten warnings called plagues. (86)

and

God's people would always remember this great rescue and call it "Passover." But an even Greater Rescue was coming.

Many years later, God was going to do it again. He was going to come down once more to rescue his people. But this time God was going to set them free forever and ever. (91)

From "God's Messenger"

God had a job for Jonah. But Jonah didn't want it.

"Go to Nineveh," God said, "And tell your worst enemies that I love them."
"No!" said Jonah. "Those are bad people doing bad things!"
"Exactly," said God. "They have run far away from me. But I can't stop loving them. I will give them a new start. I will forgive them."
"NO!" said Jonah. "They don't deserve it!" (160)

Many years later, God was going to send another Messenger with the same wonderful message. Like Jonah, he would spend three days in utter darkness.

But this messenger would be God's Own Son. He would be called "The Word" because he himself would be God's Message. God's Message translated into our own language. Everything God wanted to say to the whole world -- in a Person. (169)

I could almost pick out a passage to highlight from each and every story because the book is really just that good.

One of my favorite, favorite stories is "Operation 'No More Tears!'" which draws from Isaiah 9, 11, 40, 50, 53, 55, and 60.

Isaiah has always, always been a favorite book of mine. And to see it so wonderfully, so artistically translated into a story that little ones can understand, well, it does my heart good! The story may be concise, but it's faithful to the spirit of the message.

There are twenty-one stories from the Old Testament. And twenty-three stories from the New Testament.

The illustrations are by Jago. I really liked the illustrations. I wasn't sure about them at first. But as I read the book, I began to like them more and more.

This one is available in two editions. One is the deluxe edition. And the other is the regular (no-bells-or-whistles) edition. What does the deluxe edition offer that makes it worth the price difference? It offers the book as an audio book. Three CDs narrated by David Suchet. You'll have to decide for yourself if the audio book would be a great asset to your family's library. (Personally, I like the audio book. And I would recommend it.) But either book would be a good choice.

(Both the illustrator and the narrator are from England.)

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales

Cousins, Lucy. 2009. Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales. Candlewick Press. 121 pages.

Lucy Cousins (perhaps best known for her Maisy books) brings us eight (familiar) tales in this bright and bold collection for young readers. The tales included are: Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Enormous Turnip, Henny Penny, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, and The Musicians of Bremen. (I only wish she'd chosen to include The Gingerbread Boy.)

Cousins' stories are a bit more violent than some contemporary retellings. She doesn't shy away from death and violence. (Though not each tale is violent. It's really just Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs that are. Her wolves are definitely in the big and bad category.)

The text of each story is simple and straightforward.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Little Red Riding Hood. Her mother asked her to take a basket of food through the woods to her grandmother, who was ill. Little Red Riding Hood had not gone far when she met a wolf.

What did I like best about this one? The illustrations! If you like Cousins' bright, bold, and colorful and larger-than-life (almost) illustrations. (Illustrations that command your attention right from the start.) Then you'll appreciate this collection of stories.

This is another impressive title by Candlewick Press.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Classic Bible Storybook

Taylor, Kenneth N. 2009. Classic Bible Storybook: More Than 120 Bible Stories From Kenneth N. Taylor. Tyndale Publishing. 270 pages.

This bible story collection features the stories of Kenneth N. Taylor and the art of Richard and Frances Hook. Both are "classic" in the sense that they're familiar and beloved by multiple generations. Taylor's stories have been appearing in books since 1979. I remember gleefully reading "The Book for Children" when I was in elementary school; it was released in 1985. (That book which appears to have last been printed in 2000, is out of print now--at least according to Amazon.) To get back on task, the Classic Bible Storybook contains 121 stories based on the Bible. 68 of these come from the Old Testament. 53 of these come from the New Testament. (In case that sounds disproportionate, remember that the New Testament has many letters in it; these epistles don't lend themselves easily to stories.) Each story is short--written with brief attention spans in mind--and sweet. Parents can easily see where each story comes from--the book, chapter, and verse references. After each story, there are a handful of questions. Illustrations are sprinkled throughout.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Houdini Box

Selznick, Brian. 1991/2008. The Houdini Box.

The Houdini Box was Brian Selznick's first book, I believe, and it has recently been republished (and updated) following the incredible success of his illustrated-novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

It's a short book. More than a picture book. Not quite a novel. Definitely fiction. (Yet not really an easy reader either.) It's an illustrated book with substance. It tells the story of a ten year old boy, Victor, who idolizes Harry Houdini, the magician and escape artist. The boy briefly meets his idol one day, is given an invitation to visit him, in fact, but on the day of the visit, he arrives only to discover that Houdini has died. He's given a mysterious box by Houdini's wife, but it's true worth is not discovered for many decades.

The strength of this one is in the illustrations. If you loved The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and you haven't yet read Selznick's previous works, then this one is for you.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers