Paul O. Zelinsky

Rumpelstiltskin was always one of my favorite fairytales. I think we discussed this in our fairytale and folklore unit, but I was always more upset by the fact that Rumpelstiltskin was the victim in all of this, not the miller or his daughter. While the promise of wealth and living comfortably would have been a dream come true for any poor family, the miller's daughter eventually ended up marrying a man (the king) who, if she hadn't been able to spin straw into gold, would have ended up show more killing her. I'm not quite sure what kind of message that sends to young readers. The line between good and evil is hazy at best. Personally, I think Rumple was pigeonholed as the "villian" because of his looks and his way of life; the king, on the other hand, because of his wealth, was cast as the "hero." I don't think the messaging in this fairytale is good, per se, but the story is interesting and I always enjoyed the way Rumple wanted to help the miller's daughter, and even though he asked for her first born child, in a way, I think perhaps he was in love with her and thought they could build a life and family together. I think this is an interesting story to read with young children and explore the idea of good and evil, and what that really means. show less

In this retelling of a Grimms' fairytale, a strange little man saves the miller's daughter's life by spinning a roomful of straw into gold. His price is the promise of the miller's daughter's firstborn. The king marries her, and soon after the birth of their first child, the little man comes to demand his payment. The queen is given just three days to discover the little man's name or lose her child forever.

This is the story my grandmother always told us at bedtime, and any retelling will show more suffer in comparison with her rendition. However, this story is beautifully illustrated. The rich colors and detail tempt the reader to linger over each page. I think my grandmother would have appreciated the charm of the illustrations, even if her version of the story was better! show less

"Rapunzel" is one of my favorite fairy tales. Its themes of love, obsession, betrayal, and the healing power of compassion are both timeless and compelling. Paul O. Zelinsky's picture book is probably the best version I know, and though it came out when I was only seven, I can still remember the excitement surrounding its release and the subsequent announcement that it had won the Caldecott. At that age I was surprised to find that the heroine lived not in a gray, run-down tower in the show more middle of a scary Germanic wood but in a luxurious one, with a more Italianate setting; Zelinsky, however, has good reasons for these changes, as I will demonstrate later.

The illustrations, of course, are of primary interest. These oil paintings are sumptuous, and seem to present a higher, more romanticized form of reality, not dissimilar to those of Zelinsky's Renaissance era predecessors. As another reviewer mentioned, the attention to detail is astounding—I spent one whole reading just noting where the witch's cat showed up.

But this book is important from a textual standpoint as well. In his afterword, Zelinsky traces the history of the tale, outlining the various forms it took before the Brothers Grimm heard it, as well as the changes they made to it. This makes for fascinating reading, and the research enhances his retelling. Since the first appearance of the Rapunzel myth was in Italy, he incorporates many regional features in his illustrations; he also restores elements from the pre-Grimm versions, such as the marriage ceremony in the tower. I for one had never seen the inclusion of a window-hook before reading this—a fascinating solution to the age-old hair vs. physics problem!

Highly recommended to both fairy tale enthusiasts and those simply looking for a beautiful, well-written picture book. show less

Top 100 Pick because:
The story of Rapunzel, as retold by Paul O. Zelinsky, is a magnificent ode to Renaissance era art, the Brothers Grimm, and the beautifully depicted visual narrative that complex relationships between characters and a coming-of-age story of a young girl. The narrative of this retelling is captured masterfully through the detailed oil paintings Zelinsky creates to portray his ideal version of the age-old tale. Visually, this has to be my favorite retelling of Rapunzel and show more my favorite children's version. Zelinsky continues to intrigue me and is one of the few oil painters that stands out and reminds me of the greatness of the old artists. show less