Paul Heins (1909–1996)

Of course the pictures are gorgeous. I love the individual dwarfs, especially. But really, the more I think about this, the more I get exasperated with the tale. SW is pretty, but stupid. (Fool me once....) And the prince loves her before he even sees her breathe, promises her marriage before knowing anything about her expect that her appeal will fade in just a few years....

When you pick up the book Snow White, you expect it to be a lot like the Disney movie. However, this version of Snow White is nothing like the Disney version. In the story the wicked stepmother comes three times to the dwarfs house to try and kill Snow White. The first time she tried to kill her by lacing up her dress so tight she can't breath. The second time she tried to kill her through places poison on a hair clip. The third time she tries to kill her she gives her a poison apple. On the show more third time, Snow White appears to be dead, but she still has all the color in her face. The dwarfs place Snow White in a glass coffin and place her on a hill for all to see. One day a prince comes and asks if he can take her coffin to his castle. The dwarfs agree to let him take her. As the guards men are carrying the coffin the apple that is stuck in Snow Whites throat is ejected and Snow White awakens. When she learns what has happened she is so grateful she agrees to marry the prince. Snow White invites her stepmother to the wedding and when she shows up, she is forced to wear red hot iron shoes until she falls down dead. This book is not your happily ever after, but more about justice and getting what you deserve. show less

According to Betsy Bird's Wild Things Hyman drew herself as one of the dwarves....

Read. ?áYes, and we can easily guess which one. ?áAnd yes, the other characters are clearly based on real ppl, neighbors and other ppl in Hyman's life, as opposed to characters for the imagination. ?áThis is a translation by Heins, not an adaptation, so the text is longish, not shy of details that might disturb the squeamish, and thoroughly authentic. ?áBut gosh, the tale itself is not one of my show more favorites. ?áSnow White is beautiful, kind, and stupid, and her beau is naive and a king's son... hoo boy. ?áWho says he's not going to fall for the next pretty face the moment SW's pregnancy gives her shadows under eyes, and who says she's going to be able to see through his secrets any better than she saw through the witch's peddler disguise?

It pains me to rate this as less than four stars because it's not the fault of either Heins or Hyman that I don't care for the book. ?áBut I must be honest; I don't recommend it. show less

This is the classic Brother Grimm story of a princess born with skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and black ebony hair. Snow white's mother died in childbirth, and her father remarried a vain women. The new Queen owned a magic mirror and would ask who the most beautiful women in the land was. The mirror would reply "Lady Queen, you are the most beautiful lady In this land." As Snow grew so did her beauty and by the time she was seven she had grown more beautiful then the Queen. The show more Queen grew jealous and told the hunter to take Snow in the woods and kill her. The hunter spared her life and told her to run far away. Snow ran deep into the woods and came to a small cottage. The cottage was the home to seven dwarfs. The seven dwarfs let Snow live there but, tell her to stay inside so her stepmother doesn't find her. The Queen soon figures out that Snow is in fact alive and starts plotting her murder. First, the Queen goes to Snow and tries to kill her by straggling her with a corset ribbon, then she tries to poison her with a comb. Finally the queen kills snow by a poison apple. This story is a bit redundant, and makes you question the intelligence of Snow. I did love the beautiful artwork in the book, but other then that I feel like it is an outdated representation of women, show less