In 1812, the Grimm Brothers published their very first book of folk tales. Originally called "Children's and Household Tales," the collection was the birthplace of classics like Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. The book was very popular at the time despite its dark tone.
To celebrate the German Brothers' bicentennial, The Los Angeles Public Library has a new exhibit at its Central Branch downtown.
Joining the program with more on the Grimm brothers is Los Angeles-based librarian Mara Alpert. She fills us in on the Grimm Brothers' back story and recommends her favorite modern takes on the classics.
Recommendations:
For younger children:
Rachel Isadora sets her Rapunzel in Africa with beautiful illustrations
Tom Thumb: Grimms’ Tales by Eric Carle, 2011
Hansel and Gretel by James Marshall, 1990
Doctor All-Knowing: A Folktale from the Brothers Grimm by Doris Orgel, Illustrated by Alexandra Boige. 2008
For a slightly older child:
The Elves and the Shoemaker, a graphic novel version of the story by Martin Powell.
Older child appropriate:
Snow in Summer, a version of Snow White by Jane Yolen that takes place in West Virginia in the 1940s. This version is dark, so it's best for sixth graders and up.
The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley, 2005
A riff on Grimm's Fairy Tales for those who love puns:
Animal Crackers Fly the Coop by Kevin O'Malley. These animals want to be comedians.
Guest:
Mara Alpert is a librarian in the Children's Literature Department at the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Branch.
