Amazon.com (ISBN 0763609978, Hardcover)

Berlie Doherty, author of many books for young people, including Carnegie Medal-winner Dear Nobody, says fairy tales "are enchanted dreams. We remember them as if they had been sung to us while we were under the spell of a long deep sleep." And according to acclaimed picture-book illustrator Jane Ray, "fairy tales are the earth beneath our feet, giving us roots and helping us find our place in the world, but they also offer a glimpse of the magical and the enchanted." With two such eloquently mystical creators at the helm, any collection of fairy tales is bound to be magical. Sure enough, this team's magnificent Fairy Tales glimmers and shines, giving new life to traditional favorites such as "Beauty and the Beast," "Cinderella," "Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp," and "Hansel and Gretel." Doherty's retellings are respectful of the originals, while incorporating her own strong, vibrant voice. Ray's watercolor, ink, and collage illustrations, surrounding the gold-framed text, are truly stunning, in exotic colors and exquisite tapestry-style patterns. Characters seem to come from all parts of the world--appropriately enough, since the stories have "echoes in many different cultures." The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault would be proud. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter